Rhizoctoniasolani (R. solani), a soil-borne necrotrophic pathogen, causes various plant diseases. Rhizoctoniasolani is a mitosporic fungus, the sclerotium of which is the primary inoculum and ensures survival of the fungus during the offseason of the host crop. Since the fungus does not produce any asexual or sexual spores, understanding the biology of sclerotia is important to examine pathogen ecology and develop more efficient methods for crop protection. Here, one- and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (1-DE and 2-DE, respectively) were used to examine protein regulation during the maturation of fungal sclerotia. A total of 75 proteins (20 proteins from 1-DE using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-time of flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and 55 proteins from 2-DE using MALDI-TOF MS or MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) were differentially expressed during sclerotial maturation. The identified proteins were classified into ten categories based on their biological functions, including genetic information processing, carbohydrate metabolism, cell defense, amino acid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, cellular processes, pathogenicity and mycotoxin production, and hypothetical or unknown functions. Interestingly, two vacuole function-related proteins were highly up-regulated throughout sclerotial maturation, which was confirmed at the transcript level by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. These findings contribute to our understanding of the biology of R. solanisclerotia. PMID:24863472

Effects of the biocontrol strain, Pseudomonas fluorescens DR54, on growth and disease development by Rhizoctoniasolani causing damping-off in sugar beet were studied in soil microcosms and in pot experiments with natural, clay-type soil. In pot experiments with P. fluorescens DR54-treated seeds, significantly fewer Rhizoctonia-challenged seedlings showed damping-off symptoms than when not inoculated with the biocontrol agent. In the rhizosphere of P. fluorescens DR54 inoculated seeds, the bacterial inoculant was present in high numbers as shown by dilution plating and immunoblotting. By the ELISA antibody technique and direct microscopy of the fungal pathogen grown in soil microcosms, it was shown that the presence of P. fluorescens DR54 on the inoculated seeds had a strong inhibitory effect on development of both mycelium biomass and sclerotia formation by R. solani. In the field experiment, plant emergence was increased by treatment with P. fluorescens DR54 and the inoculant was found to be the dominating rhizosphere colonizing pseudomonad immediately after seedling emergence. PMID:12024268

Rhizoctoniasolani can cause seedling damping-off and root rot in dry bean and a number of other major crops including sugarbeet, soybean, cotton, potato, etc. There appears to be an increase in reported incidence in both temperate regions and in tropical areas. As well as a root rot, some stains ca...

In the state of Washington, USA, annual losses of wheat attributed to soilborne necrotrophic fungal pathogens, such as Rhizoctoniasolani, are estimated to be over US$100 million, and global estimates exceed US$1 billion. Host genetic resistance is a sustainable means of disease control that can be ...

Rhizoctoniasolani (Teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris) is a basidiomycetous fungus which includes important plant pathogens, saprophytes and mycorrhizae. R. solani displays several hyphal anastomosis groups (AGs) with distinct host plant specializations. In order to facilitate studies on its biol...

Lentil root rot symptoms were observed in commercial fields in the US Pacific Northwest during the unusually cool and moist spring weather of 2010. Symptoms included sunken lesions on root and stem with brown discoloration, resembling diseases caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. Rhizoctoniasolani was i...

Rhizoctoniasolani is a necrotrophic soil borne fungal pathogen known to be a serious crop killer worldwide. A better understanding of the molecular signaling will benefit the development of effective methods to control the pathogen. To dissect molecular signaling between rice and R. solani a combin...

Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) [Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn] is an important disease of sugarbeets in southwestern Ontario, Canada. A survey of commercial sugarbeet fields was completed in 2010 and 2011 to determine the range of R. solani anastomosis groups (AGs) and inter-specific groups (ISGs) ...

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) elements are ubiquitous in Rhizoctoniasolani. Total dsRNA was randomly amplified from a R. solani isolate (RS002) belonging to anastomosis group-3PT (AG-3PT), associated with black scurf in potato. Assembly of resulting cDNA sequences identified a nearly complete genome of a novel virus related to the genus Mitovirus (family Narnaviridae), herein named Rhizoctonia mitovirus 1 RS002 (RMV-1-RS002). The 2797 nucleotide partial genome of RMV-1-RS002 is A-U rich (59.06 %), and can be folded into stable stem-loop structures at 5' and 3' ends. Universal and mold mitochondrial codon usages revealed a large open reading frame in the genome, putatively encoding an 826 amino acid polypeptide, which has conserved motifs for mitoviral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The full length putative polypeptide shared 25.6 % sequence identity with the corresponding region of Tuber excavatum mitovirus (TeMV). The partial genome of a second mitovirus (proposed name Rhizoctonia mitovirus 2 RS002 (RMV-2-RS002)) was also amplified from RS002. A nearly identical copy of RMV-1-RS002 was detected in two additional AG-3PT isolates. These data indicate that multiple mitoviruses can exist in a single isolate of R. solani AG-3PT, and that mitoviruses such as RMV-1-RS002 are probably widespread in this pathogen. The roles of mitoviruses in the biology of R. solani AG-3PT remain unknown. PMID:26895862

Cucumbers are grown in rotation with sugar beets in some areas in Michigan but their interaction with important diseases affecting sugar beets is not well known. Cucumbers are known to be primarily susceptible to Rhizoctoniasolani AG-4, but little is known about their susceptibility to AG 2-2 isola...

An investigation was made to manage strawberry black root rot caused by Rhizoctoniasolani (R. solani) through the integration of Trichoderma harzianum (T. harzianum) isolate STA7, mustard oil cake and Provax 200. A series of preliminary experiments were conducted to select a virulent isolate of R. solani, an effective isolate of T. harzianum, a suitable organic amendment, and a suitable fungicide before setting the experiment for integration. The pathogenicity of the selected four isolates of R. solani was evaluated against strawberry and isolate SR1 was selected as the test pathogen due to its highest virulent (95.47% mortality) characteristics. Among the 20 isolates of T. harzianum, isolate STA7 showed maximum inhibition (71.97%) against the test pathogen (R. solani). Among the fungicides, Provax-200 was found to be more effective at lowest concentration (100 ppm) and highly compatible with Trichoderma isolates STA7. In the case of organic amendments, maximum inhibition (59.66%) of R. solani was obtained through mustard oil cake at the highest concentration (3%), which was significantly superior to other amendments. Minimum percentages of diseased roots were obtained with pathogen (R. solani)+Trichoderma+mustard oil cake+Provax-200 treatment, while the highest was observed with healthy seedlings with a pathogen-inoculated soil. In the case of leaf and fruit rot diseases, significantly lowest infected leaves as well as fruit rot were observed with a pathogen+Trichoderma+mustard oil cake+Provax-200 treatment in comparison with the control. A similar trend of high effectiveness was observed by the integration of Trichoderma, fungicide and organic amendments in controlling root rot and fruit diseases of strawberry. Single application of Trichoderma isolate STA7, Provax 200 or mustard oil cake did not show satisfactory performance in terms of disease-free plants, but when they were applied in combination, the number of healthy plants increased significantly. The

Rhizoctoniasolani (Teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris, T. praticola) is a basidiomycetous fungus and a major cause of root diseases of economically important plants. Various isolates of this fungus are also beneficially associated with orchids, may serve as biocontrol agents or remain as saprophytes with roles in decaying and recycling of soil organic matter. R. solani displays several hyphal anastomosis groups (AG) with distinct host and pathogenic specializations. Even though there are reports on the physiological and histological basis of Rhizoctonia-host interactions, very little is known about the molecular biology and control of gene expression early during infection by this pathogen. Proteamic technologies are powerful tools for examining alterations in protein profiles. To aid studies on its biology and host pathogen interactions, a two-dimensional (2-D) gel-based global proteomic study has been initiated. To develop an optimized protein extraction protocol for R. solani, we compared two previously reported protein extraction protocols for 2-D gel analysis of R. solani (AG-4) isolate Rs23. Both TCA-acetone precipitation and phosphate solubilization before TCA-acetone precipitation worked well for R. solani protein extraction, although selective enrichment of some proteins was noted with either method. About 450 spots could be detected with the densitiometric tracing of Coomassie blue-stained 2-D PAGE gels covering pH 4-7 and 6.5-205 kDa. Selected protein spots were subjected to mass spectrometric analysis with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Eleven protein spots were positively identified based on peptide mass fingerprinting match with fungal proteins in public databases with the Mascot search engine. These results testify to the suitability of the two optimized protein extraction protocols for 2-D proteomic studies of R. solani. PMID:19202841

Rhizoctonia root and crown is an important disease problem in sugar beet caused by Rhizoctoniasolani and also shown to be associated with Leuconostoc. Since, the initial Leuconostoc studies were conducted with only a few isolates and the relationship of Leuconostoc with R. solani is poorly underst...

The Rhizoctonia root rot caused by Rhizoctoniasolani can cause serious economic losses in sugarbeet fields. Preliminary evidence suggests there could be interactions between different strains and resistance sources. Thus, field studies were conducted to determine if nine R. solani AG-2-2 IIIB str...

The interaction between Meloidogyne incognita (race 2) and Rhizoctoniasolani (AG 4) in a root rot disease complex of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) was examined in a greenhouse pot experiment. Three week-old seedlings (cv. Contender) were inoculated with the nematode and/or the fungus in different combinations and sequences. Two months after last nematode inoculation, the test was terminated and data were recorded. The synchronized inoculation by both pathogens (N + F) increased the index of Rhizoctonia root rot and the number of root galls; and suppressed plant growth, compared to controls. However, the severity of root rot and suppression of plant growth were greater and more evident when inoculation by the nematode preceded the fungus (N → F) by two weeks. Nematode reproduction (eggs/g root) was adversely affected by the presence of the fungus except by the synchronized inoculation. When inoculation by nematode preceded the fungus, plant growth was severely suppressed and roots were highly damaged and rotted leading to a decrease of root galls and eggs. PMID:26288560

The interaction between Meloidogyne incognita (race 2) and Rhizoctoniasolani (AG 4) in a root rot disease complex of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) was examined in a greenhouse pot experiment. Three week-old seedlings (cv. Contender) were inoculated with the nematode and/or the fungus in different combinations and sequences. Two months after last nematode inoculation, the test was terminated and data were recorded. The synchronized inoculation by both pathogens (N + F) increased the index of Rhizoctonia root rot and the number of root galls; and suppressed plant growth, compared to controls. However, the severity of root rot and suppression of plant growth were greater and more evident when inoculation by the nematode preceded the fungus (N → F) by two weeks. Nematode reproduction (eggs/g root) was adversely affected by the presence of the fungus except by the synchronized inoculation. When inoculation by nematode preceded the fungus, plant growth was severely suppressed and roots were highly damaged and rotted leading to a decrease of root galls and eggs. PMID:26288560

Rhizoctonia crown root and rot, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn, is a serious disease resulting in substantial economic losses in sugar beet production worldwide. A consistent, uniform disease pressure of the correct intensity is necessary to effectively screen sugar beet for resistance to Rhizoc...

Rhizoctonia crown root and rot, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn, is a serious disease resulting in substantial economic losses in sugar beet production worldwide. A consistent, uniform disease pressure of the correct intensity is necessary to effectively screen sugar beet for resistance to Rhizoc...

Rhizoctoniasolani and R. oryzae are the principal causal agents of Rhizoctonia root rot in dryland cereal production systems of the Pacific Northwest. To facilitate the identification and quantification of these pathogens in agricultural samples, we developed SYBR Green I-based real-time quantitati...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG 2-2 is the causal agent of Rhizoctonia root and crown rot of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) in North Dakota and Minnesota. This disease is a major limiting factor to sugar beet production. Management strategies currently include using partially resistant cultivars and fungicides. ...

Rhizoctonia crown root and rot, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn, is a serious disease resulting in substantial economic losses in sugar beet production worldwide. A consistent, uniform disease pressure of the correct intensity is necessary to effectively screen sugar beet for resistance to Rhizoc...

Sheath blight caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani is an emerging problem in rice production worldwide. To elucidate the molecular basis of rice defense to the pathogen, RNA isolated from R. solani-infected leaves of Jasmine 85 was used for both RL-SAGE library construction and microarra...

A total of 35 onion genotypes was evaluated for resistance to onion stunting caused by Rhizoctoniasolani anastomosis group 8 (AG-8) under temperature-controlled greenhouse conditions (15 ± 1oC) in 2013. Each onion genotype was planted in a cone-tainer with and without inoculation with R. solani AG ...

Sheath blight caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani is an emerging problem in rice production worldwide. To elucidate the molecular basis of rice defense to the pathogen, two RL-SAGE libraries were made from the R. solani infected and control plants of Jasmine 85, which is moderately resi...

Biological control using antagonistic microbes to minimize the use of chemical pesticides has recently become more prevalent. In an attempt to find an integrated control system for sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani in rice, Streptomyces philanthi RM-1-138, commercial formulations of Bacillus subtilis as Larminar® and B. subtilis strain NSRS 89-24+MK-007 as Biobest® and chemical fungicides including carbendazim®, validamycin®, propiconazole® and mancozeb® were applied alone and in combination with S. philanthi RM-1-138. In vitro experiments showed that all treatments tested did provide some control against mycelial growth and sclerotia production by R. solani PTRRS-9. In addition, the four chemical fungicides had no detrimental effects on S. philanthi RM-1-138 even at high concentrations (up to 100 μg/ml). The efficacy of S. philanthi RM-1-138, the commercial formulations of B. subtilis, chemical fungicides alone or in combination with S. philanthi RM-1-138 was also tested in a greenhouse experiment against sheath blight disease on rice plants. All treatments showed some protection of rice for sheath blight by 47-60 % when carbendazim® was applied alone and up to 74 % when combined with S. philanthi RM-1-138. PMID:23653261

A direct soil DNA extraction method from soil samples (250 g) was applied for detection of the soilborne sugar-beet-infecting pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani anastomosis group (AG) 2-2IIIB using a newly developed real-time polymerase chain reaction assay that showed specificity to AG2-2IIIB when tested against various R. solani AG. The assay showed a good relation between cycle threshold and amount of AG2-2IIIB sclerotia detected in three spiked field soils and was also able to detect the pathogen in naturally infested field soil samples. A field trial was conducted to quantify R. solani AG2-2IIIB soil inoculum potential (IP) before and after growing a susceptible and a resistant sugar beet variety as well as after subsequent growth of an expected nonhost winter rye. Plants of the susceptible sugar beet variety displayed a higher disease severity. A more than sixfold increase of the R. solani AG2-2IIIB soil IP was observed in contrast to the resistant variety that resulted in a constant IP. Growing winter rye significantly reduced soil IP to the initial level at sowing. Further research is required to better understand the interaction between disease occurrence and soil IP as well as the environmental influence on IP development. PMID:27143412

Rhizoctoniasolani is an important plant pathogen on a number of crops and maintaining an extensive collection of reference isolates is important in understanding relationships of this pathogen with multiple hosts. Current long-term storage methods typically call for frequent transfer increasing the...

Rhizoctoniasolani, teleomorph Thanatephoris cucumeris, is a polyphagous nectrotrophic plant pathogen of the Basidiomycete order that is split into fourteen different anastomosis groups (AGs) based on hyphal interactions and host range. Currently, little is known about the methods by which R. solan...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG 8 is one of the major pathogens that causes pea root rot and stunting in the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington. The disease is most severe in fields where wheat has been mono-cropped for a number of years or where cereal cover crops are incorporated just before pea seedin...

The fungus Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn is an important plant pathogen on a number of crops and maintaining an extensive collection of reference isolates is important in understanding relationships of this pathogen with multiple hosts. While a number of long-term storage methods have been developed, mos...

According to its physical and chemical properties, the composition of difenoconazole/propiconazole microemulsion was as follows: xylene as solvent, emulsifier HSH as surfactant and methanol as cosurfactant. The optimal formulation of difenoconazole/propiconazole microemulsion was oil/SAA/water = 1/2/5 (w/w), in which the SAA consisted of emulsifier HSH and methanol with ratio of 3/2 (w/w). The cloud point of difenoconazole/propiconazole microemulsion was 70 degrees C and its effective ingredient content was 2.5% measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Its heat storage stability was studied according to the standards. The decomposition rates of the difenoconazole/propiconazole microemulsion were merely 2.45%, 2.63% respectively and met the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards of pesticide microemulsion. Investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) the particle size of difenoconazole/propiconazole microemulsion was 90-140 nm and its antifungal activities against Rhizoctoniasolani AG1-IA were tested and compared with that of Meiyu. We found that the inhibition rates in the difenoconazole/propiconazole microemulsion treatment group were significantly higher than that of the emulsion group with the same content of effective ingredients and the study also revealed that its inhibiting ability on the formation and germination of sclerotia was significant. PMID:22822543

Many studies have investigated the effect of biochar on plant yield, nutrient uptake, and soil microbial populations; however, little work has been done on its effect on soilborne plant diseases. To determine the effect of maple bark biochar on Rhizoctonia damping-off, 11 plant species were grown in a soilless potting substrate amended with different concentrations of biochar and inoculated or not with Rhizoctoniasolani anastomosis group 4. Additionally, the effect of biochar amendment on R. solani growth and metabolism in vitro was evaluated. Increasing concentrations of maple bark biochar increased Rhizoctonia damping-off of all 11 plant species. Using multivariate analyses, we observed positive correlations between biochar amendments, disease severity and incidence, abundance of culturable bacterial communities, and physicochemical parameters. Additionally, biochar amendment significantly increased R. solani growth and hyphal extension in vitro, and altered its primary metabolism, notably the mannitol and tricarboxylic acid cycles and the glycolysis pathway. One or several organic compounds present in the biochar, as identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, may be metabolized by R. solani. Taken together, these results indicate that future studies on biochar should focus on the effect of its use as an amendment on soilborne plant pathogens before applying it to soils. PMID:25938176

The present study was aimed to characterize the antifungal principles in methanol extract of tea ( Camellia oleifera ) seed pomace. Totally, two flavonoids, camelliasides A (1) and B (2), and one saponin mixture composed of camelliasaponin B(1) (3) were identified from the methanol extract. These constituents were tested for their ability to reduce the infection of cabbage seedlings by Rhizoctoniasolani Kuhn AG-4 and to inhibit growth of the pathogen on potato dextrose agar plates. The saponin mixture is a potential candidate as a new plant-derived pesticide to control Rhizoctonia damping-off of vegetable seedlings. PMID:20681650

Rhizoctonia root rot (caused by the fungus Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn, AG2-2) continues to be a problem in most sugar beet-growing areas in the United States, and is a growing problem worldwide. The USDA-ARS at Fort Collins has screened germplasm in artificially induced epiphytotics to provide uniform...

The ability of the soil fungus Rhizoctoniasolani to degrade phenyl-substituted urea herbicides was investigated. The fungus was able to transform chlorbromuron [3-(3-chloro-4-bromophenyl)-1-methyl-1-methoxyurea] to the demethylated product [3-(3-chloro-4-bromophenyl)-1-methoxyurea], which was isolated and identified. Evidence was obtained that further degradation of chlorbromuron occurred. Several other phenylurea compounds (chloroxuron, diuron, fenuron, fluometuron, linuron, metobromuron, neburon, and siduron) were also metabolized by the fungus, indicating that R. solani may possess a generalized ability to attack this group of herbicides. PMID:4640737

Poor stands of canola seedlings in Pacific Northwest (PNW) have been associated with Rhizoctoniasolani AG-2-1 and AG-8. A total of eighty five genotypes of Brassica napus, B. rapa, B. carinata, B. juncea and Sinapsis alba were evaluated in the growth chamber for their resistance to both R. solani A...

Here, a quasi-steady-state approximation was used to simplify a mathematical model for fungal growth in carbon-limiting systems, and this was fitted to growth dynamics of the soil-borne plant pathogen and saprotroph Rhizoctoniasolani. The model identified a criterion for invasion into carbon-limited environments with two characteristics driving fungal growth, namely the carbon decomposition rate and a measure of carbon use efficiency. The dynamics of fungal spread through a population of sites with either low (0.0074 mg) or high (0.016 mg) carbon content were well described by the simplified model with faster colonization for the carbon-rich environment. Rhizoctoniasolani responded to a lower carbon availability by increasing the carbon use efficiency and the carbon decomposition rate following colonization. The results are discussed in relation to fungal invasion thresholds in terms of carbon nutrition. PMID:18312538

Streptomyces padanus strain PMS-702 is an antagonist of Rhizoctoniasolani AG-4, the causal agent of damping-off of cabbage. Treatment of cabbage seeds with the culture filtrate of S. padanus strain PMS-702 was effective in reducing the incidence of damping-off of cabbage. The major active ingredient from the culture filtrate of S. padanus strain PMS-702 was purified by silica gel column chromatography and identified as the polyene macrolide, fungichromin, by NMR and mass spectral data. Bioassay studies showed that fungichromin had a strong antifungal activity against R. solani AG-4, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (over 90% inhibition) was found to be 72 microg/mL. This is the first report of fungichromin from S. padanus as an active ingredient for the control of Rhizoctonia damping-off of cabbage. PMID:12502391

During late August and early September 2011, stem rot symptoms were observed on adzuki bean plants (Vigna angularis) growing in fields located in Beijing and Hebei Province, China, respectively. In this study, four isolates were obtained from infected stems of adzuki bean plants. Based on their morphology, and sequence and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (rDNA-ITS) region, the four isolates were identified as Rhizoctoniasolani in anastomosis group (AG) 4 HGI. Pathogenicity tests showed that all isolates were strongly pathogenic to adzuki bean and resulted in serious wilt symptoms which was similar to observations in the fields. Additionally, the isolates infected several other crops and induced related rot on the roots and basal stems. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Rhizoctoniasolani AG 4 HGI causing stem rot on adzuki bean. PMID:25774112

During late August and early September 2011, stem rot symptoms were observed on adzuki bean plants (Vigna angularis) growing in fields located in Beijing and Hebei Province, China, respectively. In this study, four isolates were obtained from infected stems of adzuki bean plants. Based on their morphology, and sequence and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (rDNA-ITS) region, the four isolates were identified as Rhizoctoniasolani in anastomosis group (AG) 4 HGI. Pathogenicity tests showed that all isolates were strongly pathogenic to adzuki bean and resulted in serious wilt symptoms which was similar to observations in the fields. Additionally, the isolates infected several other crops and induced related rot on the roots and basal stems. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Rhizoctoniasolani AG 4 HGI causing stem rot on adzuki bean. PMID:25774112

The soil fungus Rhizoctoniasolani is a pathogen of agricultural crops. Here, we report on the 51,705,945 bp draft consensus genome sequence of R. solani strain Rhs1AP. A comprehensive understanding of the heterokaryotic genome complexity and organization of R. solani may provide insight into the plant disease ecology and adaptive behavior of the fungus. PMID:25359908

The soil fungus Rhizoctoniasolani is a pathogen of agricultural crops. Here, we report on the 51,705,945 bp draft consensus genome sequence of R. solani strain Rhs1AP. A comprehensive understanding of the heterokaryotic genome complexity and organization of R. solani may provide insight into the plant disease ecology and adaptive behavior of the fungus. PMID:25359908

Rice [Oryza sativa (L.)] feeds more than half of the world’s population. Rhizoctoniasolani is a major fungal pathogen of rice causing extreme crop losses in all rice-growing regions of the world. R. solani AG1 IA is a major cause of sheath blight in rice. In this study, we constructed a comprehensive and user-friendly web-based database, RSIADB, to analyse its draft genome and transcriptome. The database was built using the genome sequence (10 489 genes) and annotation information for R. solani AG1 IA. A total of six RNAseq samples of R. solani AG1 IA were also analysed, corresponding to 10, 18, 24, 32, 48 and 72 h after infection of rice leaves. The RSIADB database enables users to search, browse, and download gene sequences for R. solani AG1 IA, and mine the data using BLAST, Sequence Extractor, Browse and Construction Diagram tools that were integrated into the database. RSIADB is an important genomic resource for scientists working with R. solani AG1 IA and will assist researchers in analysing the annotated genome and transcriptome of this pathogen. This resource will facilitate studies on gene function, pathogenesis factors and secreted proteins, as well as provide an avenue for comparative analyses of genes expressed during different stages of infection. Database URL: http://genedenovoweb.ticp.net:81/rsia/index.php PMID:27022158

Rhizoctonia root and crown rot is an important disease problem in sugar beet caused by Rhizoctoniasolani and also shown to be associated with Leuconostoc spp. Initial Leuconostoc studies were conducted with only a few isolates and the relationship of Leuconostoc with R. solani is poorly understood; therefore, a more thorough investigation was conducted. In total, 203 Leuconostoc isolates were collected from recently harvested sugar beet roots in southern Idaho and southeastern Oregon during 2010 and 2012: 88 and 85% Leuconostoc mesenteroides, 6 and 15% L. pseudomesenteroides, 2 and 0% L. kimchi, and 4 and 0% unrecognized Leuconostoc spp., respectively. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing, haplotype 11 (L. mesenteroides isolates) comprised 68 to 70% of the isolates in both years. In pathogenicity field studies with commercial sugar beet 'B-7', all Leuconostoc isolates caused more rot (P < 0.0001; α = 0.05) when combined with R. solani than when inoculated alone in both years. Also, 46 of the 52 combination treatments over the 2 years had significantly more rot (P < 0.0001; α = 0.05) than the fungal check. The data support the conclusion that a synergistic interaction leads to more rot when both Leuconostoc spp. and R. solani are present in sugar beet roots. PMID:26735061

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the strain Bacillus subtilis V26, a local isolate from the Tunisian soil, to control potato black scurf caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. The in vitro antifungal activity of V26 significantly inhibited R. solani growth compared to the untreated control. Microscopic observations revealed that V26 caused considerable morphological deformations of the fungal hyphae such as vacuolation, protoplast leakage and mycelia crack. The most effective control was achieved when strain V26 was applied 24h prior to inoculation (protective activity) in potato slices. The antagonistic bacterium V26 induced significant suppression of root canker and black scurf tuber colonization compared to untreated controls with a decrease in incidence disease of 63% and 81%, respectively, and promoted plant growth under greenhouse conditions on potato plants. Therefore, B. subtilis V26 has a great potential to be commercialized as a biocontrol agent against R. solani on potato crops. PMID:26563555

Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (Rhizoctoniasolani) reduces plant stands, sugar quality and yield in sugar beet. To evaluate the influence of R. solani anastomosis (AG) and intraspecific groups and soil moisture on disease incidence and severity, a field trial was established in Ridgetown, Ontario, ...

A chitinolytic actinomycete Streptomyces vinaceusdrappus S5MW2 was isolated from water sample of Chilika lake, India and identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It showed in vitro antifungal activity against the sclerotia producing pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani in a dual culture assay and by chitinase enzyme production in a chitin supplemented minimal broth. Moreover, isolate S5MW2 was further characterized for biocontrol (BC) and plant growth promoting features in a greenhouse experiment with or without colloidal chitin (CC). Results of greenhouse experiment showed that CC supplementation with S5MW2 showed a significant growth of tomato plants and superior disease reduction as compared to untreated control and without CC treated plants. Moreover, higher accumulation of chitinase also recovered in the CC supplemented plants. Significant effect of CC also concurred with the Analysis of Variance of greenhouse parameters. These results show that the a marine antagonist S5MW2 has BC efficiency against R. solani and chitinase enzyme played important role in plant resistance. PMID:25982747

At this study, it was aimed to determine the effect of Trichoderma isolates that was isolated from the soil samples taken from the different regions on black scurf and stem canker disease caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn that has been one of the biggest problems of the potato cultivation. At the end of the soil isolations, totally 81 Trichoderma isolates were obtained and their species were identified. Of these isolates, T. harzianum (42%), T. virens (31%), T. asperellum (15%) and T. viride (12%). All of the isolates were tested in vitro for their antagonistic activity against the R. solani isolate. The isolates that show high inhibition rate was selected and tested against R. solani in vitro. Potato plants were grown in a greenhouse for about 10 weeks. Then the plants were evaluated according to the scale, plant height, shoot fresh and dry weights, root fresh and dry weights were noted. The experiment was conducted two times in three replications. At the in vitro tests, generally, it was determined that Trichoderma isolates have inhibited to R. solani and in vivo, they were reduced the effects of the disease and they were raised the development of the plant. In particular, it was determined that some isolates of the T. harzianum and T. virens have reduced the severity of the disease. It was determined that both in vitro and in vivo isolates have shown different efficiency against R. solani.

Rice [Oryza sativa (L.)] feeds more than half of the world's population. Rhizoctonia solaniis a major fungal pathogen of rice causing extreme crop losses in all rice-growing regions of the world. R. solani AG1 IA is a major cause of sheath blight in rice. In this study, we constructed a comprehensive and user-friendly web-based database, RSIADB, to analyse its draft genome and transcriptome. The database was built using the genome sequence (10,489 genes) and annotation information for R. solani AG1 IA. A total of six RNAseq samples of R. solani AG1 IA were also analysed, corresponding to 10, 18, 24, 32, 48 and 72 h after infection of rice leaves. The RSIADB database enables users to search, browse, and download gene sequences for R. solani AG1 IA, and mine the data using BLAST, Sequence Extractor, Browse and Construction Diagram tools that were integrated into the database. RSIADB is an important genomic resource for scientists working with R. solani AG1 IA and will assist researchers in analysing the annotated genome and transcriptome of this pathogen. This resource will facilitate studies on gene function, pathogenesis factors and secreted proteins, as well as provide an avenue for comparative analyses of genes expressed during different stages of infection. Database URL:http://genedenovoweb.ticp.net:81/rsia/index.php. PMID:27022158

Rhizoctoniasolani AG 3-PT is an important potato pathogen causing significant yield and quality losses in potato production. However, little is known about the levels of genetic diversity and structure of this pathogen in South Africa. A total of 114 R. solani AG 3-PT isolates collected from four geographic regions were analysed for genetic diversity and structure using eight microsatellite loci. Microsatellite analysis found high intra-population genetic diversity, population differentiation and evidence of recombination. A total of 78 multilocus genotypes were identified with few shared among populations. Low levels of clonality (13-39 %) and high levels of population differentiation were observed among populations. Most of the loci were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and all four populations showed evidence of a mixed reproductive mode of both clonality and recombination. The PCoA clustering method revealed genetically distinct geographic populations of R. solani AG 3-PT in South Africa. This study showed that populations of R. solani AG 3-PT in South Africa are genetically differentiated and disease management strategies should be applied accordingly. This is the first study of the population genetics of R. solani AG 3-PT in South Africa and results may help to develop knowledge-based disease management strategies. PMID:27109367

ABSTRACT Suppressive effects of soil amendment with residues of 12 cultivars of Brassica rapa on damping-off of sugar beet were evaluated in soils infested with Rhizoctoniasolani. Residues of clover and peanut were tested as noncruciferous controls. The incidence of damping-off was significantly and consistently suppressed in the soils amended with residues of clover, peanut, and B. rapa subsp. rapifera 'Saori', but only the volatile substance produced from water-imbibed residue of cv. Saori exhibited a distinct inhibitory effect on mycelial growth of R. solani. Nonetheless, disease suppression in such residue-amended soils was diminished or nullified when antibacterial antibiotics were applied to the soils, suggesting that proliferation of antagonistic bacteria resident to the soils were responsible for disease suppression. When the seed (pericarps) colonized by R. solani in the infested soil without residues were replanted into the soils amended with such residues, damping-off was suppressed in all cases. In contrast, when seed that had been colonized by microorganisms in the soils containing the residues were replanted into the infested soil, damping-off was not suppressed. The evidence indicates that the laimosphere, but not the spermosphere, is the site for the antagonistic microbial interaction, which is the chief principle of soil suppressiveness against Rhizoctonia damping-off. PMID:18943670

The ultrastructure of R. solani AG-9 (S-21, ATCC 62804) was investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The most important characteristics were those related with cell wall thickness, cytoplasmic matrix composition, number of nuclei and nucleoli and secretory material production. The majority of examined hyphae showed lateral cell walls thinner than those recorded before. The cytoplasmic matrix consistently appeared differentiated into two classes, one formed by a highly electron dense granular fine material and the other one showing a coloidal substance of very low density which give these cells a 'tiger-like' aspect. The grannular dense matrix always had abundant free ribosomes and usually surrounded the cytoplasmic organelles and the septal pore apparatus. The somatic cells showed up to 5 nuclei, some of which with three nucleoli. Masses of secretory material surrounded by membrane were regularly seen in the cytoplasm, with sizes similar to those of nuclei. PMID:9334448

Suspensions of Pseudomonas cepacia (strain 5.5B) and Paecilomyces lilacinus (isolate 6.2F) were applied to polyfoam rooting cubes for control of stem rot of poinsettia caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. The populations of antagonists and colonization of rooting cubes by R. solani were monitored during a 3-week period. Colonization of cubes by R. solani was reduced in cubes treated with P. cepacia, but the population of P. cepacia decreased by as much as 97% during the test period. Increased colonization by R. solani was correlated with a decline in population of P. cepacia. P. lilacinus was more persistent than P. cepacia in cubes, with only a 21% reduction observed during the 3-week period. Colonization of the P. lilacinus-treated cubes by R. solani was significantly less than colonization of infested controls. No correlation existed between population of P. lilacinus and colonization of cubes by R. solani. PMID:16349353

Rhizoctoniasolani is a widespread plant pathogenic fungus featuring a broad host range including several economically important crops. Accordingly, genome analyses of R. solani isolates are important to uncover their pathogenic potential. Draft genome sequences for four R. solani isolates representing three of the 14 R. solani anastomosis groups (AGs) are available. Here, we present the first draft genome sequence for an R. solani AG2-2IIIB isolate that is pathogenic on sugar beet. The fungal genome was assembled in 2065 scaffolds consisting of 5826 contigs amounting to a size of about 52 Mb which is larger than any other R. solani isolate known today. Genes potentially encoding cellulolytic, lignolytic and pectinolytic enzymes were identified. PMID:26851388

Rhizoctoniasolani is an important root infecting pathogen of a range of food staples worldwide including wheat, rice, maize, soybean, potato, legumes and others. Conventional resistance breeding strategies are hindered by the absence of tractable genetic resistance in any crop host. Understanding the biology and pathogenicity mechanisms of this fungus is important for addressing these disease issues, however, little is known about how R. solani causes disease. The data described in this article is derived from applying mass spectrometry based proteomics to identify soluble, membrane-bound and culture filtrate proteins produced under wheat infection and vegetative growth conditions. Comparisons of the data for sample types in this set will be useful to identify metabolic pathway changes as the fungus switches from saprophytic to a pathogenic lifestyle or pathogenicity related proteins contributing to the ability to cause disease on wheat. The data set is deposited in the PRIDE archive under identifier PRIDE: PXD002806. PMID:27331100

Gas plasma generated and applied under two different systems, atmospheric pressure plasma and low pressure plasma, was used to investigate the inactivation efficacy on the seedborne pathogenic fungus, Rhizoctoniasolani, which had been artificially introduced to brassicaceous seeds. Treatment with atmospheric plasma for 10 min markedly reduced the R. solani survival rate from 100% to 3% but delayed seed germination. The low pressure plasma treatment reduced the fungal survival rate from 83% to 1.7% after 10 min and the inactivation effect was dependent on the treatment time. The seed germination rate after treatment with the low pressure plasma was not significantly different from that of untreated seeds. The air temperature around the seeds in the low pressure system was lower than that of the atmospheric system. These results suggested that gas plasma treatment under low pressure could be effective in disinfecting the seeds without damaging them. PMID:24975415

Here we present the genome sequence of a novel dsRNA virus we designed as Rhizoctoniasolani RNA virus HN008 (RsRV-HN008) from a filamentous fungus R. solani. Its genome (7596 nucleotides) contains two non-overlapping open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2). ORF1 encoded a 128 kDa protein that showed no significant identity to any other virus sequence in the NCBI database. ORF2 encoded a protein with a molecular weight of 140 kDa and shared a low percentage of sequence identity to the RdRps of unclassified dsRNA viruses. Sequence analysis revealed that RsRV-HN008 may be a member of a novel unclassified family of mycoviruses. PMID:26116286

For clarification of the antagonistic mechanism of Bacillus pumilus SQR-N43 (N43) against Rhizoctoniasolani Q1, production of antibiotics by N43 was determined, and the effect of the antibiotics on the pathogen mycelium was microscopically observed. Further more, the control efficiencies of the antifungal compounds on damping-off disease were investigated. The results obtained are listed as follows: N43 produced antibiotic substances towards R. solani Q1 at logarithmic growth phase. The antibiotics caused hyphal deformation and enlargement of cytoplasmic vacuoles in R. solani Q1 mycelia. 70% saturation of ammonium sulfate made a complete precipitation of the antibiotics in culture broth. When treated with protease K and trypsase, the activities of antibiotics were decreased by 79% and 53%, respectively, compared with control. The antibiotics were sensitive to high temperature and were alkaline stable. The molecular weights of the substances were about 500-1000 Da. The bio-control efficiencies of the antibiotics had no significant difference with that of N43 cell suspension. It is a first report that B. pumilus strain produced oligopeptides which had inhibitory effect on R. solani Q1 at logarithmic growth phase. PMID:23417338

A disease complex involving Meloidogyne incognita and Rhizoctoniasolani was associated with stunting of grapevines in a field nursery. Nematode reproduction was occurring on both susceptible and resistant cultivars, and pot experiments were conducted to determine the virulence of this M. incognita population, and of M. javanica and M. hapla populations, to V. vinifera cv. Colombard (susceptible) and to V. champinii cv. Ramsey (regarded locally as highly resistant). The virulence of R. solani isolates obtained from roots of diseased grapevines also was determined both alone and in combination with M. incognita. Ramsey was susceptible to M. incognita (reproduction ratio 9.8 to 18.4 in a shadehouse and heated glasshouse, respectively) but was resistant to M. javanica and M. hapla. Colombard was susceptible to M. incognita (reproduction ratio 24.3 and 41.3, respectively) and M. javanica. Shoot growth was suppressed (by 35%) by M. incognita and, to a lesser extent, by M. hapla. Colombard roots were more severely galled than Ramsey roots by all three species, and nematode reproduction was higher on Colombard. Isolates of R. solani assigned to putative anastomosis groups 2-1 and 4, and an unidentified isolate, colonized and induced rotting of grapevine roots. Ramsey was more susceptible to root rotting than Colombard. Shoot growth was inhibited by up to 15% by several AG 4 isolates and by 20% by the AG 2-1 isolate. AG 4 isolates varied in their virulence. Root rotting was higher when grapevines were inoculated with both M. incognita and R. solani and was highest when nematode inoculation preceded the fungus. Shoot weights were lower when vines were inoculated with the nematode 13 days before the fungus compared with inoculation with both the nematode and the fungus on the same day. It was concluded that both the M. incognita population and some R. solani isolates were virulent against both Colombard and Ramsey, and that measures to prevent spread in nursery stock were

Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn (Rs) is an important pathogen in the tropics, causing web blight (WB), and a widespread soil-borne root rot (RR) pathogen of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) worldwide. This pathogen is a species complex classified into 14 anastomosis groups (AG). Some AGs have been report...

Rhizoctoniasolani is a common and highly heterogeneous fungal species. Sub-specific groups have been created based on hyphal anastomosis (AGs). One of the newer AGs described is AG-11 from soybean and rice seedlings or soil in Arkansas and lupine in Australia (Carling et al. Phytopathology 84:1378-...

Rhizoctoniasolani is a ubiquitous basidiomycetous soilborne fungal pathogen causing damping off of seedlings, aerial blights and postharvest diseases. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis a global approach based on analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) was undertaken. ...

Rhizoctoniasolani is a nectrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes billions of dollars of damage to agriculture worldwide and infects a broad host range including wheat, rice, potato and legumes. In this study we identify wheat genes that are differentially expressed in response to the R. solani isolate, AG8, using microarray technology. A significant number of wheat genes identified in this screen were involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and redox regulation. Levels of ROS species were increased in wheat root tissue following R. solani infection as determined by Nitro Blue Tetrazolium (NBT), 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and titanium sulphate measurements. Pathogen/ROS related genes from R. solani were also tested for expression patterns upon wheat infection. TmpL, a R. solani gene homologous to a gene associated with ROS regulation in Alternaria brassicicola, and OAH, a R. solani gene homologous to oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase which has been shown to produce oxalic acid in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, were highly induced in R. solani when infecting wheat. We speculate that the interplay between the wheat and R. solani ROS generating proteins may be important for determining the outcome of the wheat/R. solani interaction. PMID:27031952

Rhizoctoniasolani is a nectrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes billions of dollars of damage to agriculture worldwide and infects a broad host range including wheat, rice, potato and legumes. In this study we identify wheat genes that are differentially expressed in response to the R. solani isolate, AG8, using microarray technology. A significant number of wheat genes identified in this screen were involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and redox regulation. Levels of ROS species were increased in wheat root tissue following R. solani infection as determined by Nitro Blue Tetrazolium (NBT), 3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and titanium sulphate measurements. Pathogen/ROS related genes from R. solani were also tested for expression patterns upon wheat infection. TmpL, a R. solani gene homologous to a gene associated with ROS regulation in Alternaria brassicicola, and OAH, a R. solani gene homologous to oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase which has been shown to produce oxalic acid in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, were highly induced in R. solani when infecting wheat. We speculate that the interplay between the wheat and R. solani ROS generating proteins may be important for determining the outcome of the wheat/R. solani interaction. PMID:27031952

Rhizoctoniasolani is a necrotrophic fungi causing sheath blight in rice leading to substantial loss in yield. Excessive and persistent use of preventive chemicals raises human health and environment safety concerns. As an alternative, use of biocontrol agents is highly recommended. In the present study, an abiotic stress tolerant, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (SN13) is demonstrated to act as a biocontrol agent and enhance immune response against R. solani in rice by modulating various physiological, metabolic, and molecular functions. A sustained tolerance by SN13 primed plant over a longer period of time, post R. solani infection may be attributed to several unconventional aspects of the plants’ physiological status. The prolonged stress tolerance observed in presence of SN13 is characterized by (a) involvement of bacterial mycolytic enzymes, (b) sustained maintenance of elicitors to keep the immune system induced involving non-metabolizable sugars such as turanose besides the known elicitors, (c) a delicate balance of ROS and ROS scavengers through production of proline, mannitol, and arabitol and rare sugars like fructopyranose, β-D-glucopyranose and myoinositol and expression of ferric reductases and hypoxia induced proteins, (d) production of metabolites like quinazoline and expression of terpene synthase, and (e) hormonal cross talk. As the novel aspect of biological control this study highlights the role of rare sugars, maintenance of hypoxic conditions, and sucrose and starch metabolism in B. amyloliquefaciens (SN13) mediated sustained biotic stress tolerance in rice. PMID:27200058

Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the most important limiting factors for potato production and storage in Belgium and worldwide. Its management is still strongly dependent on chemical treatments. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of exploiting bacteria and fungi in order to control this pathogen. Among a collection of 220 bacterial strains isolated from different organs of healthy potato plants and rhizospheric soils, 25 isolates were selected using screening methods based on in vitro dual culture assays. The mycelial growth inhibition rate of the pathogen was ranged from 59.4 to 95.0%. Also seven fungal strains isolated from the rhizospheric soil and potato roots showed a highly mycelial growth inhibition of R. solani. The mycelial growth inhibition rate obtained with these fungi was included between 60.0 and 99.4%. From this preliminary study, the further investigations will be planned to determine the bacterial isolates systematic, species of fungal strains by using molecular tools and to assess their efficacy against R. solani in greenhouse trials. PMID:18396837

Rhizoctoniasolani is a necrotrophic fungi causing sheath blight in rice leading to substantial loss in yield. Excessive and persistent use of preventive chemicals raises human health and environment safety concerns. As an alternative, use of biocontrol agents is highly recommended. In the present study, an abiotic stress tolerant, plant growth promoting rhizobacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (SN13) is demonstrated to act as a biocontrol agent and enhance immune response against R. solani in rice by modulating various physiological, metabolic, and molecular functions. A sustained tolerance by SN13 primed plant over a longer period of time, post R. solani infection may be attributed to several unconventional aspects of the plants' physiological status. The prolonged stress tolerance observed in presence of SN13 is characterized by (a) involvement of bacterial mycolytic enzymes, (b) sustained maintenance of elicitors to keep the immune system induced involving non-metabolizable sugars such as turanose besides the known elicitors, (c) a delicate balance of ROS and ROS scavengers through production of proline, mannitol, and arabitol and rare sugars like fructopyranose, β-D-glucopyranose and myoinositol and expression of ferric reductases and hypoxia induced proteins, (d) production of metabolites like quinazoline and expression of terpene synthase, and (e) hormonal cross talk. As the novel aspect of biological control this study highlights the role of rare sugars, maintenance of hypoxic conditions, and sucrose and starch metabolism in B. amyloliquefaciens (SN13) mediated sustained biotic stress tolerance in rice. PMID:27200058

This study reports the potential of a soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis strain SPB1, to produce lipopeptide biosurfactants. Firstly, the crude lipopeptide mixture was tested for its inhibitory activity against phytopathogenic fungi. A minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), an inhibitory concentration at 50% (IC50%), and an inhibitory concentration at 90% (IC90%) values were determined to be 0.04, 0.012, and 0.02 mg/ml, respectively, for Rhizoctonia bataticola with a fungistatic mode of action. For Rhizoctoniasolani, a MIC, an IC50%, and IC90% values were determined to be 4, 0.25, and 3.3 mg/ml, respectively, with a fungicidal mode of action. For both of the fungi, a loss of sclerotial integrity, granulation and fragmentation of hyphal mycelia, followed by hyphal shriveling and cell lysis were observed with the treatment with SPB1 biosurfactant fraction. After extraction, separation, and purification, different lipopeptide compounds were identified in the culture filtrate of strain SPB1. Mass spectroscopic analysis confirmed the presence of different lipopeptide compounds consisting of surfactin isoforms with molecular weights of 1007, 1021, and 1035 Da; iturin isoforms with molecular weights of 1028, 1042, and 1056 Da; and fengycin isoforms with molecular weights of 1432 and 1446 Da. Two new clusters of lipopeptide isoforms with molecular weights of 1410 and 1424 Da and 973 and 987 Da, respectively, were also detected. This study reported the ability of a B. subtilis strain to co-produce lipopeptide isoforms with potential use as antifungal compounds. PMID:26645234

Rhizosphere bacteria belonging to the fluorescent pseudomonads are receiving increasing attention for the protection of plants against soil-borne fungal pathogens. Among these pathogens, Rhizoctoniasolani, the causal agent of bean damping- off is very important in bean fields of Iran. In this study, the antagonistic activity of 46 isolates of fluorescent pseudomonads (isolated from different area of Iran) and Pseudomonas fluorescens strain CHA0 investigated against one isolate of R. solani. About 64% of isolates revealed antagonistic activity against R. solani. Production of antifungal metabolites such as HCN, siderophore and protease was evaluated. The results showed that 97.8%, 17% and 78% of isolates produced siderophore, HCN and protease respectively. There was no significant correlation between antagonistic activity and production of these metabolites. Isolates P-5, P-10 and P-32 with strain CHA0 were selected in order to investigate involvement of siderophore, volatile metabolites (HCN), and non-volatile metabolites in reducing mycelial growth of R. olani. Isolate P-5 showed much more inhibitory effect by production of volatile metabolites and siderophore. Non-volatile metabolites in isolates P-32 and P-5 completely inhibited mycelial growth of the fungus. After the primary labrotory tests, isolates P-14, P-35, P-30, P-5 and strain CHA0 were selected for in vivo experiments. These selected isolates with benomyl fungicide were used as seed coating and soil drenching in sterile soil under greenhouse condition. The result indicated that in seed treatment method, isolates P-30 by 66% had the most effect in disease reduction while in soil treatment method, strain CHAO by 60% had the most effect, such that this two isolates showed significant differences in comparison with plants inoculated with R. solani inoculums. PMID:17390854

Stachybotrys elegans is able to parasitize the fungal plant pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani AG-3 following a complex and intimate interaction, which, among others, includes the production of cell wall-degrading enzymes, intracellular colonization, and expression of pathogenic process encoding genes. However, information on the metabolome level is non-existent during mycoparasitism. Here, we performed a direct-infusion mass spectrometry (DIMS) metabolomics analysis using an LTQ Orbitrap analyzer in order to detect changes in the profiles of induced secondary metabolites of both partners during this mycoparasitic interaction 4 and 5 days following its establishment. The diketopiperazine(s) (DKPs) cyclo(S-Pro-S-Leu)/cyclo(S-Pro-S-Ile), ethyl 2-phenylacetate, and 3-nitro-4-hydroxybenzoic acid were detected as the primary response of Rhizoctonia 4 days following dual-culturing with Stachybotrys, whereas only the latter metabolite was up-regulated 1 day later. On the other hand, trichothecenes and atranones were mycoparasite-derived metabolites identified during mycoparasitism 4 and 5 days following dual-culturing. All the above secondary metabolites are known to exhibit bioactivity, including fungitoxicity, and represent key elements that determine the outcome of the interaction being studied. Results could be further exploited in programs for the evaluation of the bioactivity of these metabolites per se or their chemical analogs, and/or genetic engineering programs to obtain more efficient mycoparasite strains with improved efficacy and toxicological profiles. PMID:25972848

The effect of soil inoculation with an antagonistic strain Bacillus subtilis RB14-C on the development of Rhizoctoniasolani and changes occurring in soil and rhizosphere microbial communities were studied. RB14-C was added to the soil as a water suspension of the cells or as a broth culture. Application of cell suspensions to non-planted soil reduced the number of culturable bacteria. The density of R. solani and the number of filamentous fungi were not significantly affected by RB14-C. A similar effect was observed in the rhizosphere of tomato plants growns in bacterized soil. Broth cultures of RB14-C suppressed R. solani 1 d after inoculation, but after 3 d there was no difference in the pathogen density between soil amended with broth culture and control soil. In microcosm studies, cell suspensions of RB14-C also did not inhibit growth of R. solani on filters buried in soil. However, an inhibitory effect was obtained when a broth culture of the bacterium was used. The effect of RB14-C on fungal biomass was also estimated by measurement of ergosterol concentration in soil. It was found that ergosterol was mostly derived from R. solani and that there were no significant differences in its content between untreated soil and soil treated with RB14-C. The results suggest that suppression of Rhizoctonia damping-off by B. subtilis RB14-C probably is not related to the reduction of the pathogen population in the soil. PMID:16088336

Plant protection through siderophore producing rhizobacteria (SPR) has emerged as a sustainable approach for crop health management. In present study, 220 bacteria isolated from tomato rhizosphere were screened for in vitro antagonistic activity against Rhizoctoniasolani AG-4. Nine potent antagonistic strains viz., Alcaligenes sp. (MUN1, MB21, and MPF37), Enterobacter sp. (MPM1), Pseudomonas sp. (M10A and MB65), P. aeruginosa (MPF14 and MB123) and P. fluorescens (MPF47) were identified on the basis of physiological characters and 16S rDNA sequencing. These strains were able to produce hydrolytic enzymes, hydrogen cyanide, indole acetic acid, although, only few strains were able to solubilize phosphate. Two strains (MB123 and MPF47) showed significant disease reduction in glasshouse conditions were further evaluated under field conditions using three different application methods. Application of P. fluorescens (MPF47) in nursery as soil mix + seedling root treatments prior to transplantation resulted in significant disease reduction compared to control. Total chlorophyll and available iron were significantly higher in the MPF47 treated plants in contrast to infected control. In conclusion, siderophore producing bacteria MPF47 have strong biocontrol abilities and its application as soil mix + seedling root treatments provided strong shield to plant roots against R. solani and could be used for effective bio-management of pathogen. PMID:23686438

Two field isolates of Rhizoctoniasolani were isolated from infected paddy plants in Malaysia. These isolates were verified via ITS-rDNA analysis that yielded ~720 bp products of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS4 region, respectively. The sequenced products showed insertion and substitution incidences which may result in strain diversity and possible variation in disease severity. These strains showed some regional and host-specific relatedness via Maximum Likelihood and further phylogenetic analysis via Maximum Parsimony showed that these strains were closely related to R. solani AG1-1A (with 99-100% identity). Subsequent to strain verification and analysis, these isolates were used in the screening of twenty rice varieties for tolerance or resistance to sheath blight via mycelial plug method where both isolates (1801 and 1802) showed resistance or moderate resistance to Teqing, TETEP, and Jasmine 85. Isolate 1802 was more virulent based on the disease severity index values. This study also showed that the mycelial plug techniques were efficient in providing uniform inoculum and humidity for screening. In addition this study shows that the disease severity index is a better mode of scoring for resistance compared to lesion length. These findings will provide a solid basis for our future breeding and screening activities at the institution. PMID:25258710

Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, is considered a worldwide destructive rice disease and leads to considerable yield losses. A bio-control agent, Paenibacillus kribbensis PS04, was screened to resist against the pathogen. The inhibitory effects were investigated (>80 %) by the growth of the hyphae. Microscopic observation of the hypha structure manifested that the morphology of the pathogenic mycelium was strongly affected by P. kribbensis PS04. To explore essentially inhibitory mechanisms, proteomic approach was adopted to identify differentially expressed proteins from R. solani GD118 in response to P. kribbensis PS04 using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Protein profiling was used to identify 13 differential proteins: 10 proteins were found to be down-regulated while 3 proteins were up-regulated. These proteins were involved in material and energy metabolism, antioxidant activity, protein folding and degradation, and cytoskeleton regulation. Among them, material and energy metabolism was differentially regulated by P. kribbensis PS04. Protein expression was separately inhibited by the bio-control agent in oxidation resistance, protein folding and degradation, and cytoskeleton regulation. Proteome changes of the mycelium assist in understanding how the pathogen was directly suppressed by P. kribbensis PS04. PMID:25164959

Rhizoctoniasolani is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes disease on all major crop-plant species. Anastomosis group 1-IA is the causal agent of sheath blight of rice (Oryza sativa), one of the most important rice diseases worldwide. R. solani AG-IA produces a necrosis-inducing phytotoxin a...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG 4 is a soilborne necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen that causes economically important diseases on agronomic crops worldwide. Our long-term goal is to elucidate the molecular basis of pathogenesis of isolates of R. solani AG 4 in an effort to develop more effective control meth...

Rhizoctonia disease, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the most important fungal diseases in bean fields in Isfahan, Iran. Bean plants showing stem and root cankers were collected and Rhizoctonia-like fungi obtained from the samples were identified by anastomosis. Pure cultures of bean isolates of R. solani were identified as AG-4. There were also AG-4 isolates from tomato, potato, cucumber, alfalfa and sugar beet in the areas sampled. A total of 163 isolates of R. solani AG-4 originating from stem and root cankers of beans were examined using pectic zymogram electrophoresis. Polygalacturonase (PG) and pectin estrase isozymes were observed in all AG-4 isolates tested. One (PG) and one pectic esterase (PE) band was found in common between all isolates examined. The electrophoretic patterns were grouped into seven zymogram groups (ZGs) according to the diagnostic PG and PE bands. One ZG occurred in a high frequency throughout the areas sampled. A pathogenicity test was conducted and representative isolates of each ZG were used to inoculate healthy bean plants. The results showed that each ZG caused different symptoms with varying severity. Isolates belonging to two ZGs were highly pathogenic causing root, stem and hypocotyl cankers whereas isolates of the other ZGs produced weak or no symptoms. PMID:15645177

Rhizoctoniasolani is a soil-borne basidiomycete fungus with a necrotrophic lifestyle which is classified into fourteen reproductively incompatible anastomosis groups (AGs). One of these, AG8, is a devastating pathogen causing bare patch of cereals, brassicas and legumes. R. solani is a multinucleate heterokaryon containing significant heterozygosity within a single cell. This complexity posed significant challenges for the assembly of its genome. We present a high quality genome assembly of R. solani AG8 and a manually curated set of 13,964 genes supported by RNA-seq. The AG8 genome assembly used novel methods to produce a haploid representation of its heterokaryotic state. The whole-genomes of AG8, the rice pathogen AG1-IA and the potato pathogen AG3 were observed to be syntenic and co-linear. Genes and functions putatively relevant to pathogenicity were highlighted by comparing AG8 to known pathogenicity genes, orthology databases spanning 197 phytopathogenic taxa and AG1-IA. We also observed SNP-level “hypermutation” of CpG dinucleotides to TpG between AG8 nuclei, with similarities to repeat-induced point mutation (RIP). Interestingly, gene-coding regions were widely affected along with repetitive DNA, which has not been previously observed for RIP in mononuclear fungi of the Pezizomycotina. The rate of heterozygous SNP mutations within this single isolate of AG8 was observed to be higher than SNP mutation rates observed across populations of most fungal species compared. Comparative analyses were combined to predict biological processes relevant to AG8 and 308 proteins with effector-like characteristics, forming a valuable resource for further study of this pathosystem. Predicted effector-like proteins had elevated levels of non-synonymous point mutations relative to synonymous mutations (dN/dS), suggesting that they may be under diversifying selection pressures. In addition, the distant relationship to sequenced necrotrophs of the Ascomycota suggests the

Rhizoctoniasolani is a soil-borne basidiomycete fungus with a necrotrophic lifestyle which is classified into fourteen reproductively incompatible anastomosis groups (AGs). One of these, AG8, is a devastating pathogen causing bare patch of cereals, brassicas and legumes. R. solani is a multinucleate heterokaryon containing significant heterozygosity within a single cell. This complexity posed significant challenges for the assembly of its genome. We present a high quality genome assembly of R. solani AG8 and a manually curated set of 13,964 genes supported by RNA-seq. The AG8 genome assembly used novel methods to produce a haploid representation of its heterokaryotic state. The whole-genomes of AG8, the rice pathogen AG1-IA and the potato pathogen AG3 were observed to be syntenic and co-linear. Genes and functions putatively relevant to pathogenicity were highlighted by comparing AG8 to known pathogenicity genes, orthology databases spanning 197 phytopathogenic taxa and AG1-IA. We also observed SNP-level "hypermutation" of CpG dinucleotides to TpG between AG8 nuclei, with similarities to repeat-induced point mutation (RIP). Interestingly, gene-coding regions were widely affected along with repetitive DNA, which has not been previously observed for RIP in mononuclear fungi of the Pezizomycotina. The rate of heterozygous SNP mutations within this single isolate of AG8 was observed to be higher than SNP mutation rates observed across populations of most fungal species compared. Comparative analyses were combined to predict biological processes relevant to AG8 and 308 proteins with effector-like characteristics, forming a valuable resource for further study of this pathosystem. Predicted effector-like proteins had elevated levels of non-synonymous point mutations relative to synonymous mutations (dN/dS), suggesting that they may be under diversifying selection pressures. In addition, the distant relationship to sequenced necrotrophs of the Ascomycota suggests the R

We have investigated in vitro antifungal efficiency of nitrogen-doped carbon nanohorn (NCNH) against Rhizoctoniasolani (R. solani) plant pathogenic fungi. NCNH with size of 50-60 nm and concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 150 μg mL(-1) were used. The results showed that growth of fungi in the presence of NCNH was significantly (p > .05) inhibited at 150 μg mL(-1) (85.13 ± .97) after 72 h. The results were validated through computational approaches. Molecular docking analysis of NCNH with endochitinase protein of R. solani was performed to validate the potential of antifungal activity of NCNH. Docking results showed different conformations of interaction of NCNH with endochitinase enzyme. The conformation with least binding energy -13.54 kcal/mol was considered further. It is likely that NCNH interacts with the pathogens by mechanically wrapping, which may be one of the major toxicity actions of NCNH against R. solani. The analysis showed that NCNH might interwinds to endochitinase of R. solani leading to the deactivation of the enzyme. To best of our knowledge, this is the first report of antifungal efficacy of NCNH against R. solani and provides useful information about the application of NCNH in resisting crop disease. PMID:25932774

Bacillomycin L, a natural iturinic lipopeptide produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, is characterized by strong antifungal activity against a variety of agronomically important filamentous fungi including Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn. To further understand its antifungal actions, proteomes were comparatively studied within R. solani hyphal cells treated with or without bacillomycin L. The results show that 39 proteins were alternatively expressed within cells in response to this lipopeptide, which are involved in stress response, carbohydrate, amino acid and nucleotide metabolism, cellular component organization, calcium homeostasis, protein degradation, RNA processing, gene transcription, and others, suggesting that, in addition to inducing cell membrane permeabilization, iturin exhibits antibiotic activities by targeting intracellular molecules. Based on these results, a model of action of bacillomycin L against R. solani hyphal cells was proposed. Our study provides new insight into the antibiotic mechanisms of iturins. PMID:27267622

Herein, we report the first occurrence of web blight of rosemary caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG-1-IB in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, Korea, in August 2014. The leaf tissues of infected rosemary plants were blighted and white mycelial growth was seen on the stems. The fungus was isolated from diseased leaf tissue and cultured on potato dextrose agar for identification. The young hyphae had acute angular branching near the distal septum of the multinucleate cells and mature hyphal branches formed at an approximately 90° angle. This is morphologically identical to R. solani AG-1-IB, as per previous reports. rDNA-ITS sequences of the fungus were homologous to those of R. solani AG-1-IB isolates in the GenBank database with a similarity percentage of 99%, thereby confirming the identity of the causative agent of the disease. Pathogenicity of the fungus in rosemary plants was also confirmed by Koch's postulates. PMID:26190926

The soil fungus Rhizoctoniasolani is an economically important pathogen of agricultural and forestry crops. Here, we present the complete sequence and analysis of the mitochondrial genome of R. solani, field isolate Rhs1AP. The genome (235 849 bp) is the largest mitochondrial genome of a filamentous fungus sequenced to date and exhibits a rich accumulation of introns, novel repeat sequences, homing endonuclease genes, and hypothetical genes. Stable secondary structures exhibited by repeat sequences suggest that they comprise functional, possibly catalytic RNA elements. RNA-Seq expression profiling confirmed that the majority of homing endonuclease genes and hypothetical genes are transcriptionally active. Comparative analysis suggests that the mitochondrial genome of R. solani is an example of a dynamic history of expansion in filamentous fungi. PMID:24461055

The effects of osmotic and matric potential on mycelial growth, sclerotial production and germination of isolates of Rhizoctoniasolani [anastomosis groups (AGs) 2-1 and 3] from potato were studied on potato dextrose agar (PDA) adjusted osmotically with sodium chloride, potassium chloride, glycerol, and matrically with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000. All isolates from AGs 2-1 and AG-3 exhibited fastest mycelial growth on unamended PDA (-0.4MPa), and growth generally declined with decreasing osmotic and matric potentials. Growth ceased between -3.5 and -4.0MPa on osmotically adjusted media, and at -2.0MPa on matrically adjusted media, with slight differences between isolates and osmotica. Sclerotium yield declined with decreasing osmotic potential, and formation by AG 2-1 and AG-3 isolates ceased between -1.5 and -3.0MPa and -2.5 and -3.5MPa, respectively. On matrically adjusted media, sclerotial formation by AG 2-1 isolates ceased at -0.8MPa, whereas formation by AG-3 isolates ceased at the lower matric potential of -1.5MPa. Sclerotial germination also declined with decreasing osmotic and matric potential, with total inhibition occurring over the range -3.0 to -4.0MPa on osmotically adjusted media, and at -2.0MPa on matrically adjusted media. In soil, mycelial growth and sclerotial germination of AG-3 isolates declined with decreasing total water potential, with a minimum potential of -6.3MPa permitting both growth and germination. The relevance of these results to the behaviour of R. solani AGs in soil and their pathogenicity on potato is discussed. PMID:16765034

There is growing evidence that the application of biocontrol organisms (e.g., Pseudomonas and Bacillus spp., arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi-AMF) is a feasible option to reduce incidence of plant pathogens in an integrated control strategy. However, the utilization of these microorganisms, in particular AMF, may be threatened by the application of fungicides, a widely-used measure to control Rhizoctoniasolani in various crops among which potato. Prior to their application, it is thus important to determine the impact of fungicides on AMF. The present study investigated, under in vitro controlled conditions, the impact of azoxystrobin (a systemic broad-spectrum fungicide), flutolanil (a systemic Basidiomycota-specific fungicide), and pencycuron (a contact Rhizoctonia-specific fungicide) and their respective formulations (Amistar, Monarch, and Monceren) on the growth and development of the AMF Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 (spore germination, root colonization, extraradical mycelium development, and spore production) at doses used to control R. solani. Results demonstrated that azoxystrobin and its formulation Amistar, at threshold values for R. solani control (estimated by the half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC50, on a dry weight basis), did not affect spore germination and potato root colonization by R. irregularis, while the development of extra-radical mycelium and spore production was reduced at 10 times the threshold value. Flutolanil and its formulation Monarch at threshold value did not affect spore germination or extra-radical development but decreased root colonization and arbuscule formation. At threshold value, pencycuron and its formulation Monceren, did not affect spore germination and intra- or extraradical development of R. irregularis. These results suggest that azoxystrobin and pencycuron do not affect the AMF at threshold concentrations to control R. solani in vitro, while flutolanil (as formulation) impacts the intraradical phase of the

Growing hyphae of Rhizoctoniasolani were stained with the endocytic marker dye FM4-64 and imaged by confocal microscopy. Staining of the plasma membrane was followed by labeling of organelles in the cytoplasm (after ~1 min) and of the Spitzenkörper (Spk; after ~2 min). Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) of the stained Spk demonstrated the vectorial flow of secretory vesicles from the apical cytoplasm to the Spk. This flux was modelled in a two-compartment model. The turnover time of the vesicles of the Spk was estimated to be 1.3-2.5 min. These results are roughly consistent with the expected flux of vesicles through the Spk based on the number of secretory vesicles within the Spk and the number of secretory vesicles that would be necessary to fuse with the apical plasma membrane to maintain hyphal extension rates. These results suggest that membrane retrieval via endocytosis is not as significant as previously suggested. PMID:23334442

Rhizoctoniasolani is an important soil-borne necrotrophic fungal pathogen, with a broad host range and little effective resistance in crop plants. Arabidopsis is resistant to R. solani AG8 but susceptible to R. solani AG2-1. A screen of 36 Arabidopsis ecotypes and mutants affected in the auxin, camalexin, salicylic acid, abscisic acid and ethylene/jasmonic acid pathways did not reveal any variation in response to R. solani and demonstrated that resistance to AG8 was independent of these defense pathways. The Arabidopsis Affymetrix ATH1 Genome array was used to assess global gene expression changes in plants infected with AG8 and AG2-1 at seven days post-infection. While there was considerable overlap in the response, some gene families were differentially affected by AG8 or AG2-1 and included those involved in oxidative stress, cell wall associated proteins, transcription factors and heat shock protein genes. Since a substantial proportion of the gene expression changes were associated with oxidative stress responses, we analysed the role of NADPH oxidases in resistance. While single NADPH oxidase mutants had no effect, a NADPH oxidase double mutant atrbohf atrbohd resulted in an almost complete loss of resistance to AG8, suggesting that reactive oxidative species play an important role in Arabidopsis's resistance to R. solani. PMID:23451091

Mungbean, Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek is an important pulse crop that is widely cultivated in semi- arid tropics. The crop is attacked by various soil-borne pathogens like Rhizoctoniasolani, which causes dry rot disease and seriously affects its productivity. Earlier we characterized the non-expressor of pathogenesis related gene-1(BjNPR1) of mustard, Brassica juncea, the counterpart of AtNPR1 of Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we transformed mungbean with BjNPR1 via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Because of the recalcitrant nature of mungbean, the effect of some factors like Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains (GV2260 and LBA4404), pH, L: -cysteine and tobacco leaf extract was tested in transformation. The transgenic status of 15 plants was confirmed by PCR using primers for nptII. The independent integration of T-DNA in transgenic plants was analyzed by Southern hybridization with an nptII probe and the expression of BjNPR1 was confirmed by RT-PCR. Some of the T(0) plants were selected for detached leaf anti-fungal bioassay using the fungus Rhizoctoniasolani, which showed moderate to high level of resistance depending on the level of expression of BjNPR1. The seedling bioassay of transgenic T(2) plants indicated resistance against dry rot disease caused by R. solani. PMID:21584838

Patch diseases caused by Thanatephorus cucumeris and Waitea circinata varieties (anamorphs: Rhizoctonia species) pose a serious threat to successful maintenance of several important turfgrass species. Reliance on field symptoms to identify Rhizoctonia causal agents can be difficult and misleading. D...

This work aims to characterize the bioactive molecules produced by an antagonistic Bacillus sp. strain BCLRB2 isolated from healthy leaves of olive tree against Rhizoctoniasolani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The bacterial strain isolated showed a high and persistent antifungal activity against the two pathogens. The free-cell supernatant showed also a high antifungal activity against R. solani and at a lower extent against S. sclerotiorum. The partial purification of the antifungal substances with methanol gradient applied to C18 column binding the Bacillus BCLRB2 culture supernatant showed that the 20% and 60% methanol fractions had a high and specific activity against S. sclerotiorum and R. solani, respectively. The mass spectrometry identification of the compounds in the fraction specifically active against S. sclerotiorum revealed the presence of bacillomycin D C16 as a major lipopeptide. The fraction specifically active against R. solani contained bacillomycin D C15 and 2 unknown lipopeptides. The 80% methanol fraction had a moderate and a broad spectrum activity against the two pathogens and consisted from two iturin D (C13 and C14) as a major lipopeptides. PMID:25272736

Rhizoctoniasolani is a damping-off pathogen that causes significant crop loss worldwide. In this study, the potential of Muscodor cinnamomi, a new species of endophytic fungus for controlling R. solani AG-2 damping-off disease of plant seedlings by biological fumigation was investigated. In vitro tests showed that M. cinnamomi volatile compounds inhibited mycelial growth of pathogens. Among nine solid media tested, rye grain was the best grain for inoculum production. An in vivo experiment of four seedlings, bird pepper, bush bean, garden pea and tomato were conducted. The results indicated that treatment with 30 g of M. cinnamomi inoculum was the minimum dose that caused complete control of damping-off symptoms of all seedlings after one month of planting. The R. solani-infested soil showed the lowest percentage of seed germination. In addition, M. cinnamomi did not cause any disease symptoms. From the results it is clear that M. cinnamomi is effective in controlling R. solani AG-2 both in vitro and in vivo. PMID:22806753

Trichoderma atroviride has a natural ability to parasitise phytopathogenic fungi such as Rhizoctoniasolani and Botrytis cinerea, therefore providing an environmentally sound alternative to chemical fungicides in the management of these pathogens. Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to display cellular protein patterns of T. atroviride (T. harzianum P1) grown on media containing either glucose or R. solani cell walls. Protein profiles were compared to identify T. atroviride proteins up-regulated in the presence of the R. solani cell walls. Twenty-four protein spots were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry and N-terminal sequencing. Identified up-regulated proteins include known fungal cell wall-degrading enzymes such as N-acetyl-beta-D: -glucosaminidase and 42-kDa endochitinase. Three novel proteases of T. atroviride were identified, containing sequence similarity to vacuolar serine protease, vacuolar protease A and a trypsin-like protease from known fungal proteins. Eukaryotic initiation factor 4a, superoxide dismutase and a hypothetical protein from Neurospora crassa were also up-regulated as a response to R. solani cell walls. Several cell wall-degrading enzymes were identified from the T. atroviride culture supernatant, providing further evidence that a cellular response indicative of biological control had occurred. PMID:15856359

Rhizoctoniasolani causes crown rot of sugar beets, a severe disease that has destroyed up to 60% of the plants in a test field in western Nebraska. Laetisaria arvalis, a natural hyperparasite of Rhizoctonia spp., was isolated from fields in western Nebraska. To test for the potential for biological control of R. solani, in November 1980 (following harvest) we applied various combinations of a nematicide (Telone II; Dow Chemical Co.), a nutrition source (sugar beet pulp), and an inoculum of L. arvalis in a randomized block design. Populations of R. solani, L. arvalis, and sugar beets were monitored monthly through October 1981 (just after harvest). In control and nematicide plots, the R. solani population did not change significantly through time. In plots inoculated with L. arvalis, the R. solani populations declined through March, concomitant with an increase in L. arvalis. L. arvalis then declined with a corresponding increase in the R. solani populations. Beet plant numbers declined significantly in all treatments. We suggest that reduction of the R. solani populations with the hyperparasite L. arvalis is possible but that a stable equilibrium naturally exists. PMID:16346925

Previous greenhouse studies with a non-commercial glyphosate-resistant sugarbeet variety indicated that susceptibility to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot could increase after glyphosate was applied. Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 to determine if glyphosate influenced...

The amount of Rhizoctoniasolani in the soil and how much is needed to cause disease in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is relatively unknown. This is mostly because of the usually low inoculum densities natually found in soil, and the low sensitivity of traditional serial dilution assays. We invest...

The amount of Rhizoctoniasolani in the soil and how much is needed to cause disease in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is relatively unknown. This is mostly because of the usually low inoculum densities natually found in soil, and the low sensitivity of traditional serial dilution assays. We invest...

Sheath Blight, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, is widely regarded as one of the most important diseases of cultivated rice and germplasm improvement is essential for disease management. Genetic sources of tolerance for this disease are known, however, complex quantitative inheritance and high environ...

Fungi often produce the phenoloxidase enzyme laccase during interactions with other organisms, an observation relevant to the development of biocontrols. By incorporating the laccase substrate 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) into agar, we analyzed laccase induction in the plant-pathogenic fungus Rhizoctoniasolani when paired against isolates of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. Substantial induction of R. solani laccase was seen only in pairings with strains of P. fluorescens known to produce antifungal metabolites. To study laccase induction further, a range of chemical treatments was applied to R. solani liquid cultures. p-Anisidine, copper(II), manganese(II), calcium ionophore A23187, lithium chloride, calcium chloride, cyclic AMP (cAMP), caffeine, amphotericin B, paraquat, ethanol, and isopropanol were all found to induce laccase; however, the P. fluorescens metabolite viscosinamide did not do so at the concentrations tested. The stress caused by these treatments was assessed by measuring changes in lipid peroxidation levels and dry weight. The results indicated that the laccase induction seen in pairing plate experiments was most likely due to calcium or heat shock signaling in response to the effects of bacterial metabolites, but that heavy metal and cAMP-driven laccase induction was involved in sclerotization. PMID:11319086

Rhizoctoniasolani is an important root infecting pathogen of a range of food staples worldwide including wheat, rice, maize, soybean, potato and others. Conventional resistance breeding strategies are hindered by the absence of tractable genetic resistance in any crop host. Understanding the biology and pathogenicity mechanisms of this fungus is important for addressing these disease issues, however, little is known about how R. solani causes disease. This study capitalizes on recent genomic studies by applying mass spectrometry based proteomics to identify soluble, membrane-bound and culture filtrate proteins produced under wheat infection and vegetative growth conditions. Many of the proteins found in the culture filtrate had predicted functions relating to modification of the plant cell wall, a major activity required for pathogenesis on the plant host, including a number found only under infection conditions. Other infection related proteins included a high proportion of proteins with redox associated functions and many novel proteins without functional classification. The majority of infection only proteins tested were confirmed to show transcript up-regulation during infection including a thaumatin which increased susceptibility to R. solani when expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. In addition, analysis of expression during infection of different plant hosts highlighted how the infection strategy of this broad host range pathogen can be adapted to the particular host being encountered. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002806. PMID:26811357

The present study was carried out to evaluate the ability of Trichoderma harzianum (ALL 42-isolated from Brazilian Cerrado soil) to promote common bean growth and to modulate its metabolism and defense response in the presence or absence of the phytopathogenic fungi Rhizoctoniasolani and Fusarium solani using a proteomic approach. T. harzianum was able to promote common bean plants growth as shown by the increase in root/foliar areas and by size in comparison to plants grown in its absence. The interaction was shown to modulate the expression of defense-related genes (Glu1, pod3 and lox1) in roots of P. vulgaris. Proteomic maps constructed using roots and leaves of plants challenged or unchallenged by T. harzianum and phytopathogenic fungi showed differences. Reference gels presented differences in spot distribution (absence/presence) and relative volumes of common spots (up or down-regulation). Differential spots were identified by peptide fingerprinting MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. A total of 48 identified spots (19 for leaves and 29 for roots) were grouped into protein functional classes. For leaves, 33%, 22% and 11% of the identified proteins were categorized as pertaining to the groups: metabolism, defense response and oxidative stress response, respectively. For roots, 17.2%, 24.1% and 10.3% of the identified proteins were categorized as pertaining to the groups: metabolism, defense response and oxidative stress response, respectively. PMID:24878929

In recent years, growers in Michigan and other sugar beet production areas of the United States have reported increasing incidence of root rot with little or no crown or foliar symptoms in sugar beet with Rhizoctonia crown and root rot. In addition, Rhizoctonia-resistant beets have been reported wit...

Pre- and post-emergence damping-off of canola seedlings caused by Rhizoctoniasolani is a serious disease in Western Canada. Other fungi such as Fusarium spp. and Pythium spp. are also related to seedling damping-off. To-day, the search of soil bacteria is becoming a tool to use microorganisms as potential biocontrol agents for several plant diseases. The purpose of this research was to detect bacteria to biologically control R. solani, Pythium spp., and Fusarium spp. Soil samples were collected throughout Alberta during 1987 to isolate bacteria. Canola seedlings were also used to obtain bacteria from the same samples. Plant pathogenic fungi were tested to detect the antagonistic activity of the isolates. Tests were made with coated canola seeds, amendments and fresh of freeze-dried cells. Three hundred forty-one bacterial cultures were isolated. Only 16 inhibited fungal growth: 7 showed the same effects against R. solani and 9 showed uneven effects. Some isolates showed a weak action to Pythium spp. and Fusarium spp. Three isolates showed inhibitory effect on R. solani and Pythium spp. Isolate F1 improved by about 50% the germination of canola seeds in inoculated pots when compared with the inoculated control. Coated seeds had low germination and emergence was below the inoculated control. The emergence of canola seedlings was very much improved when isolate 147 was delivered as an amendment in inoculated pots. Identification showed that 3 bacterial belonged to Bacillus spp., 4 to green fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. and 2 were Streptomyces spp. PMID:2133515

The necrotrophic root pathogens Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8 and R. oryzae cause Rhizoctonia root rot and damping-off, yield-limiting diseases that pose barriers to the adoption of conservation tillage in wheat production systems. Existing control practices are only partially effective, and natural genetic resistance to Rhizoctonia has not been identified in wheat or its close relatives. We report the first genetic resistance/tolerance to R. solani AG-8 and R. oryzae in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell) germplasm 'Scarlet-Rz1'. Scarlet-Rz1 was derived from the allohexaploid spring wheat cultivar Scarlet using EMS mutagenesis. Tolerant seedlings displayed substantial root and shoot growth after 14 days in the presence of 100-400 propagules per gram soil of R. solani AG-8 and R. oryzae in greenhouse assays. BC(2)F(4) individuals of Scarlet-Rz1 showed a high and consistent degree of tolerance. Seedling tolerance was transmissible and appeared to be dominant or co-dominant. Scarlet-Rz1 is a promising genetic resource for developing Rhizoctonia-tolerant wheat cultivars because the tolerance trait immediately can be deployed into wheat breeding germplasm through cross-hybridization, thereby avoiding difficulties with transfer from secondary or tertiary relatives as well as constraints associated with genetically modified plants. Our findings also demonstrate the utility of chemical mutagenesis for generating tolerance to necrotrophic pathogens in allohexaploid wheat. PMID:19407984

Belowground symptoms of sugar beet caused by the beet cyst nematode (BCN) Heterodera schachtii include the development of compensatory secondary roots and beet deformity, which, thus far, could only be assessed by destructively removing the entire root systems from the soil. Similarly, the symptoms of Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) caused by infections of the soil-borne basidiomycete Rhizoctoniasolani require the same invasive approach for identification. Here nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used for the non-invasive detection of belowground symptoms caused by BCN and/or RCRR on sugar beet. Excessive lateral root development and beet deformation of plants infected by BCN was obvious 28 days after inoculation (dai) on MRI images when compared with non-infected plants. Three-dimensional images recorded at 56 dai showed BCN cysts attached to the roots in the soil. RCRR was visualized by a lower intensity of the MRI signal at sites where rotting occurred. The disease complex of both organisms together resulted in RCRR development at the site of nematode penetration. Damage analysis of sugar beet plants inoculated with both pathogens indicated a synergistic relationship, which may result from direct and indirect interactions. Nuclear MRI of plants may provide valuable, new insight into the development of pathogens infecting plants below- and aboveground because of its non-destructive nature and the sufficiently high spatial resolution of the method. PMID:21948851

Bacillus pumillus MTCC7615 has been identified as a potent isolate against Rhizocotonia solani, the fungal pathogen causing sheath blight in rice. The study aimed at probing the role of a 23kb size plasmid pJCP07 of Bacillus pumillus MTCC7615 in its fungal antagonism towards Rhizocotonia solani. Plasmid pJCP07 was found to be involved in production of a fungal antagonistic compound as demonstrated by plasmid curing and conjugational transfer experiments. Tn5 insertional studies further confirmed that the plasmid pJCP07 of Bacillus pumillus MTCC7615 carries some of the gene(s) involved in production of compound antagonistic to Rhizocotonia solani. The plasmid pJCP07 is thus a mobilizable medium-sized plasmid carrying genes responsible for antagonism of Bacillus pumillus MTCC7615 towards Rhizocotonia solani. PMID:19365757

Lettuce belongs to the most commonly raw eaten food worldwide and its microbiome plays an important role for both human and plant health. Yet, little is known about the impact of potentially occurring pathogens and beneficial inoculants of the indigenous microorganisms associated with lettuce. To address this question we studied the impact of the phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctoniasolani and the biological control agent Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 on the indigenous rhizosphere and phyllosphere community of greenhouse-grown lettuce at two plant stages. The rhizosphere and phyllosphere gammaproteobacterial microbiomes of lettuce plants showed clear differences in their overall and core microbiome composition as well as in corresponding diversity indices. The rhizosphere was dominated by Xanthomonadaceae (48%) and Pseudomonadaceae (37%) with Rhodanobacter, Pseudoxanthomonas, Dokdonella, Luteimonas, Steroidobacter, Thermomonas as core inhabitants, while the dominating taxa associated to phyllosphere were Pseudomonadaceae (54%), Moraxellaceae (16%) and Enterobacteriaceae (25%) with Alkanindiges, Pantoea and a group of Enterobacteriaceae unclassified at genus level. The preferential occurrence of enterics in the phyllosphere was the most significant difference between both habitats. Additional enhancement of enterics on the phyllosphere was observed in bottom rot diseased lettuce plants, while Acinetobacter and Alkanindiges were identified as indicators of healthy plants. Interestingly, the microbial diversity was enhanced by treatment with both the pathogen, and the co-inoculated biological control agent. The highest impact and bacterial diversity was found by Rhizoctonia inoculation, but FZB42 lowered the impact of Rhizoctonia on the microbiome. This study shows that the indigenous microbiome shifts as a consequence to pathogen attack but FZB42 can compensate these effects, which supports their role as biocontrol agent and suggests a novel mode of action. PMID

Sheath blight disease, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani 1802/KB was screened on two rice varieties, Oryza sativaindica cultivar MR219 and Oryza sativa indica cultivar UKMRC9. The disease symptom was severe in MR219 compared to UKMRC9. Total RNA from R. solani 1802/KB, infected rice leaves of MR219 and infected rice leaves of UKMRC9 were extracted using TRIzol reagent, purified and sent for small RNA sequencing. Three miRNA libraries were generated and analyzed. The libraries generated 65 805, 78 512 and 81 325 known miRNAs respectively. The structure of miRNA of these samples was predicted. The up-regulated and down-regulated of miRNAs target gene prediction and its target functions were discovered and were mainly related to the growth and development of metabolism, protein transport, transcriptional regulation, stress response, and hormone signaling and electron transfer. Sheath blight-induced differential expression of known miRNAs tends to targetMYB transcription factor, F-box proteins, NBS-LRR, leucine-rich repeat receptor protein kinases and zinc finger proteins. Detecting new miRNAs and measuring the expression profiles of known miRNAs is an important tasks required for a better understanding of various biological conditions. Therefore, further analysis using Gene Ontology Slim will be conducted to deduce some biological information from the datasets obtained.

Sheath blight disease, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani 1802/KB was screened on two rice varieties, Oryza sativaindica cultivar MR219 and Oryza sativa indica cultivar UKMRC9. The disease symptom was severe in MR219 compared to UKMRC9. Total RNA from R. solani 1802/KB, infected rice leaves of MR219 and infected rice leaves of UKMRC9 were extracted using TRIzol reagent, purified and sent for small RNA sequencing. Three miRNA libraries were generated and analyzed. The libraries generated 65 805, 78 512 and 81 325 known miRNAs respectively. The structure of miRNA of these samples was predicted. The up-regulated and down-regulated of miRNAs target gene prediction and its target functions were discovered and were mainly related to the growth and development of metabolism, protein transport, transcriptional regulation, stress response, and hormone signaling and electron transfer. Sheath blight-induced differential expression of known miRNAs tends to targetMYB transcription factor, F-box proteins, NBS-LRR, leucine-rich repeat receptor protein kinases and zinc finger proteins. Detecting new miRNAs and measuring the expression profiles of known miRNAs is an important tasks required for a better understanding of various biological conditions. Therefore, further analysis using Gene Ontology Slim will be conducted to deduce some biological information from the datasets obtained.

We examined basal defense responses and cytomolecular aspects of riboflavin-induced resistance (IR) in sugar beet-Rhizoctoniasolani pathsystem by investigating H(2)O(2) burst, phenolics accumulation and analyzing the expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (cprx1) genes. Riboflavin was capable of priming plant defense responses via timely induction of H(2)O(2) production and phenolics accumulation. A correlation was found between induction of resistance by riboflavin and upregulation of PAL and cprx1 which are involved in phenylpropanoid signaling and phenolics metabolism. Application of peroxidase and PAL inhibitors suppressed not only basal resistance, but also riboflavin-IR of sugar beet to the pathogen. Treatment of the leaves with each inhibitor alone or together with riboflavin reduced phenolics accumulation which was correlated with higher level of disease progress. Together, these results demonstrate the indispensability of rapid H(2)O(2) accumulation, phenylpropanoid pathway and phenolics metabolism in basal defense and riboflavin-IR of sugar beet against R. solani. PMID:21269732

1-Hydroxyphenazine (1-OH-PHZ), a natural product from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain SD12, was earlier reported to have potent antifungal activity against Rhizoctoniasolani. In the present work, the antifungal activity of 1-OH-PHZ on 40S ribosomal S9 protein was validated by molecular docking approach. 1-OH-PHZ showed interaction with two polar contacts with residues, Arg69 and Phe19, which inhibits the synthesis of fungal protein. Our study reveals that 1-OH-PHZ can be a potent inhibitor of 40S ribosomal S9 protein of R. solani that may be a promising approach for the management of fungal diseases. PMID:24864254

1-Hydroxyphenazine (1-OH-PHZ), a natural product from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain SD12, was earlier reported to have potent antifungal activity against Rhizoctoniasolani. In the present work, the antifungal activity of 1-OH-PHZ on 40S ribosomal S9 protein was validated by molecular docking approach. 1-OH-PHZ showed interaction with two polar contacts with residues, Arg69 and Phe19, which inhibits the synthesis of fungal protein. Our study reveals that 1-OH-PHZ can be a potent inhibitor of 40S ribosomal S9 protein of R. solani that may be a promising approach for the management of fungal diseases. PMID:24864254

The study evaluated the comparative performance of a few microbial antagonists, organic amendments and fungicides and their integration for the management of seedling mortality (Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn) and yield improvement in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Before setting the experiment in field microplots, a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to select a virulent isolate of R. solani, an effective antagonistic isolate of Trichoderma harzianum, a fungitoxic organic amendment and an appropriate fungicide. A greenhouse pathogenicity test compared differences in seedling mortality in pea inoculated by four isolates of R. solani and identified the isolate RS10 as the most virulent one. Among the 20 isolates screened in dual culture assay on PDA, T. harzianum isolate T-3 was found to show the highest (77.22%) inhibition of the radial growth of R. solani. A complete inhibition (100.00%) of colony growth of R. solani was observed when fungicide Bavistin 50 WP and Provax-200 at the rate of 100 and 250 ppm, respectively, were used, while Provax-200 was found to be highly compatible with T. harzianum. Mustard oilcake gave maximum inhibition (60.28%) of the radial growth of R. solani at all ratios, followed by sesame oilcake and tea waste. Integration of soil treatment with T. harzianum isolate T-3 and mustard oilcake and seed treatment with Provax-200 appeared to be significantly superior in reducing seedling mortality and improving seed yield in pea in comparison to any single or dual application of them in the experimental field. The research results will help growers develop integrated disease management strategies for the control of Rhizoctonia disease in pea. The research results show the need for an integrating selective microbial antagonist, organic amendment and fungicide to achieve appropriate management of seedling mortality (R. solani) and increase of seed yield in pea. PMID:25528673

Phytotoxins (Rs-toxins) produced by R. solani are known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of this fungal pathogen, but the principal components of this phytotoxin were quite different from previous studies. To isolate and characterize the bioactive components of the Rs-toxin produced by ...

ABSTRACT Suppression of seedling damping-off disease caused by Pythium spp. and Rhizoctoniasolani is a potential benefit of formulating soilless container media with compost. Thirty-six compost samples from Pacific Northwest commercial composting facilities were analyzed for a number of physical, chemical, and biological properties, including suppression of damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum, P. irregulare, and R. solani. The samples were produced from diverse feedstocks and composting technol ogies; this was reflected in a large degree of variability in the measured properties. When mixed with sphagnum peat moss and inorganic aggregates, 67% of the compost samples significantly suppressed P. irregulare damping-off of cucumber, 64% suppressed P. ultimum damping-off of cucumber, and 17% suppressed damping-off of cabbage caused by R. solani. Suppression of Pythium damping-off was related to the potential of compost to support microbial activity and a qualitative index of ammonia volatilization. Suppression of Rhizoctonia damping-off was not related to any one compost factor. Currently available compost products potentially could provide commercially acceptable control of damping-off caused by Pythium spp., but it is necessary to fortify composts with microbial antagonists for the control of R. solani. PMID:18943125

Rhizoctoniasolani AG 4 is a soilborne necrotrophic fungal plant pathogen that causes economically important diseases on agronomic crops worldwide. This study used a proteomics approach to characterize both intracellular proteins and the secretome of R. solani AG 4 isolate Rs23A under several growth conditions, the secretome being highly important in pathogenesis. From over 500 total secretome and soluble intracellular protein spots from 2-D gels, 457 protein spots were analyzed and 318 proteins positively matched with fungal proteins of known function by comparison with available R. solani genome databases specific for anastomosis groups 1-IA, 1-IB, and 3. These proteins were categorized to possible cellular locations and functional groups and for some proteins their putative roles in plant cell wall degradation and virulence. The majority of the secreted proteins were grouped to extracellular regions and contain hydrolase activity. PMID:27019116

Rhizoctoniasolani, a soil-born plant pathogenic basidiomycetous fungus, affects various economically important agricultural and horticultural crops. The draft genome sequence for the R. solani AG1-IB isolate 7/3/14 as well as a corresponding transcriptome dataset (Expressed Sequence Tags--ESTs) were established previously. Development of a specific R. solani AG1-IB gene model based on GMAP transcript mapping within the eukaryotic gene prediction platform AUGUSTUS allowed detection of new genes and provided insights into the gene structure of this fungus. In total, 12,616 genes were recognized in the genome of the AG1-IB isolate. Analysis of predicted genes by means of different bioinformatics tools revealed new genes whose products potentially are involved in degradation of plant cell wall components, melanin formation and synthesis of secondary metabolites. Comparative genome analyses between members of different R. solani anastomosis groups, namely AG1-IA, AG3 and AG8 and the newly annotated R. solani AG1-IB genome were performed within the comparative genomics platform EDGAR. It appeared that only 21 to 28% of all genes encoded in the draft genomes of the different strains were identified as core genes. Based on Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and Average Amino-acid Identity (AAI) analyses, considerable sequence differences between isolates representing different anastomosis groups were identified. However, R. solani isolates form a distinct cluster in relation to other fungi of the phylum Basidiomycota. The isolate representing AG1-IB encodes significant more genes featuring predictable functions in secondary metabolite production compared to other completely sequenced R. solani strains. The newly established R. solani AG1-IB 7/3/14 gene layout now provides a reliable basis for post-genomics studies. PMID:26690577

Rhizoctoniasolani, a soil-born plant pathogenic basidiomycetous fungus, affects various economically important agricultural and horticultural crops. The draft genome sequence for the R. solani AG1-IB isolate 7/3/14 as well as a corresponding transcriptome dataset (Expressed Sequence Tags—ESTs) were established previously. Development of a specific R. solani AG1-IB gene model based on GMAP transcript mapping within the eukaryotic gene prediction platform AUGUSTUS allowed detection of new genes and provided insights into the gene structure of this fungus. In total, 12,616 genes were recognized in the genome of the AG1-IB isolate. Analysis of predicted genes by means of different bioinformatics tools revealed new genes whose products potentially are involved in degradation of plant cell wall components, melanin formation and synthesis of secondary metabolites. Comparative genome analyses between members of different R. solani anastomosis groups, namely AG1-IA, AG3 and AG8 and the newly annotated R. solani AG1-IB genome were performed within the comparative genomics platform EDGAR. It appeared that only 21 to 28% of all genes encoded in the draft genomes of the different strains were identified as core genes. Based on Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and Average Amino-acid Identity (AAI) analyses, considerable sequence differences between isolates representing different anastomosis groups were identified. However, R. solani isolates form a distinct cluster in relation to other fungi of the phylum Basidiomycota. The isolate representing AG1-IB encodes significant more genes featuring predictable functions in secondary metabolite production compared to other completely sequenced R. solani strains. The newly established R. solani AG1-IB 7/3/14 gene layout now provides a reliable basis for post-genomics studies. PMID:26690577

Studies were conducted to determine the role of 3-methylthioproprionic acid (MTPA) in the pathogenicity of potato stem canker, Rhizoctoniasolani, and the concentrations required to inhibit growth of R. solani under laboratory and plant house-based conditions. The experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replications. The treatments were 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mM concentrations of MTPA. The purified toxin exhibited maximal activity at pH 2.5 and 30°C. MTPA at 1, 2, 4, and 8 mM levels reduced plant height, chlorophyll content, haulm fresh weight, number of stolons, canopy development, and tuber weight of potato plants, as compared to the control. MTPA significantly affected mycelial growth with 8 mM causing the highest infection. The potato seedlings treated with MTPA concentrations of 1.0–8.0 mM induced necrosis of up to 80% of root system area. Cankers were resulted from the injection of potato seedling stems with 8.0 mM MTPA. The results showed the disappearance of cell membrane, rough mitochondrial and cell walls, change of the shape of chloroplasts, and swollen endoplasmic reticulum. Seventy-six (76) hours after toxin treatment, cell contents were completely broken, cytoplasm dissolved, and more chromatin were seen in the nucleus. The results suggested that high levels of the toxin concentration caused cell membrane and cytoplasm fracture. The integrity of cellular structure was destroyed by the phytotoxin. The concentrations of the phytotoxin were significantly correlated with pathogenicity and caused damage to the cell membrane of potato stem base tissue. PMID:27147928

Studies were conducted to determine the role of 3-methylthioproprionic acid (MTPA) in the pathogenicity of potato stem canker, Rhizoctoniasolani, and the concentrations required to inhibit growth of R. solani under laboratory and plant house-based conditions. The experiments were laid out in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replications. The treatments were 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mM concentrations of MTPA. The purified toxin exhibited maximal activity at pH 2.5 and 30°C. MTPA at 1, 2, 4, and 8 mM levels reduced plant height, chlorophyll content, haulm fresh weight, number of stolons, canopy development, and tuber weight of potato plants, as compared to the control. MTPA significantly affected mycelial growth with 8 mM causing the highest infection. The potato seedlings treated with MTPA concentrations of 1.0-8.0 mM induced necrosis of up to 80% of root system area. Cankers were resulted from the injection of potato seedling stems with 8.0 mM MTPA. The results showed the disappearance of cell membrane, rough mitochondrial and cell walls, change of the shape of chloroplasts, and swollen endoplasmic reticulum. Seventy-six (76) hours after toxin treatment, cell contents were completely broken, cytoplasm dissolved, and more chromatin were seen in the nucleus. The results suggested that high levels of the toxin concentration caused cell membrane and cytoplasm fracture. The integrity of cellular structure was destroyed by the phytotoxin. The concentrations of the phytotoxin were significantly correlated with pathogenicity and caused damage to the cell membrane of potato stem base tissue. PMID:27147928

To investigate the biocontrol mechanism of two antagonistic Bacillus strains (Bacillus subtilis MB14 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MB101), three in vitro antagonism assays were screened and the results were concluded that both strains inhibited Rhizoctoniasolani growth in a similar manner by dual culture assay, but the maximum percent of inhibition only resulted with MB101 by volatile and diffusible metabolite assays. Moreover, cell free supernatant (CFS) of MB101 also showed significant (p > 0.05) growth inhibition as compared to MB14, when 10 and 20% CFS mix with the growth medium of R. solani. After in vitro-validation, both strains were evaluated under greenhouse and the results concluded that strain MB101 had significant biocontrol potential as compared to MB14. Strain MB101 was enhanced the plant height, biomass and chlorophyll content of tomato plant through a higher degree of root colonization. In field trials, strain MB101 showed higher lessening in root rot symptoms with significant fruit yield as compare to strain MB14 and infected control. Next to the field study, the presence of four antibiotic genes (srfAA, fenD, ituC, and bmyB) also concluded the antifungal nature of both Bacillus strains. Phylogenetic analysis of protein sequences revealed a close relatedness of three genes (srfAA, fenD, and ituC) with earlier reported sequences of B. subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens. However, bmyB showed heterogeneity in among both strains (MB14 and MB101) and it may be concluded that higher degree of antagonism, root colonization and different antibiotic producing genes may play an important role in biocontrol mechanism of strain MB101. PMID:24277414

Spread of soil-borne fungal plant pathogens is mainly driven by the amount of resources the pathogen is able to capture and exploit should it behave either as a saprotroph or a parasite. Despite their importance in understanding the fungal spread in agricultural ecosystems, experimental data related to exploitation of infected host plants by the pathogen remain scarce. Using Rhizoctoniasolani / Raphanus sativus as a model pathosystem, we have obtained evidence on the link between ontogenic resistance of a tuberizing host and (i) its susceptibility to the pathogen and (ii) after infection, the ability of the fungus to spread in soil. Based on a highly replicable experimental system, we first show that infection success strongly depends on the host phenological stage. The nature of the disease symptoms abruptly changes depending on whether infection occurred before or after host tuberization, switching from damping-off to necrosis respectively. Our investigations also demonstrate that fungal spread in soil still depends on the host phenological stage at the moment of infection. High, medium, or low spread occurred when infection was respectively before, during, or after the tuberization process. Implications for crop protection are discussed. PMID:25127238

Spread of soil-borne fungal plant pathogens is mainly driven by the amount of resources the pathogen is able to capture and exploit should it behave either as a saprotroph or a parasite. Despite their importance in understanding the fungal spread in agricultural ecosystems, experimental data related to exploitation of infected host plants by the pathogen remain scarce. Using Rhizoctoniasolani / Raphanus sativus as a model pathosystem, we have obtained evidence on the link between ontogenic resistance of a tuberizing host and (i) its susceptibility to the pathogen and (ii) after infection, the ability of the fungus to spread in soil. Based on a highly replicable experimental system, we first show that infection success strongly depends on the host phenological stage. The nature of the disease symptoms abruptly changes depending on whether infection occurred before or after host tuberization, switching from damping-off to necrosis respectively. Our investigations also demonstrate that fungal spread in soil still depends on the host phenological stage at the moment of infection. High, medium, or low spread occurred when infection was respectively before, during, or after the tuberization process. Implications for crop protection are discussed. PMID:25127238

Talc-based formulations of Bacillus subtilis strains B1 and B2 were tested as seed and soil treatments separately for their ability to control Rhizoctoniasolani, the causal agent of rape seed damping-off, in greenhouse and field trials. In general, the formulated bacteria was more effective to suppress the disease than the suspension of bacterial cells in carboxymethylcellulose solution (1%, w/v), in both greenhouse and field trials. The formulations of strain B1 as soil treatment and strain B2 as seed treatment in greenhouse, and the formulations of strain B2 as seed and soil treatments in field trials had the greatest effect on reducing the rape seed damping-off (66.7%, 73.3%, 41.3%, and 42.4%, respectively). The formulations of strain B1 as soil treatment and strain B2 as seed treatment were the most effective treatments to increase the root dry weights in the infected soil in greenhouse. The formulation of strain B2 as soil treatment had the greatest effect on enhancement of the fresh weight of roots and stem fresh and dry weights. The formulations of strains B1 and B2 stored at 4 degrees C exhibited better shelf life and efficacy in vitro than their counterparts stored at 25 degrees C. Long-term stability of the formulation of strain B1 was found to be better. PMID:17390784

The complexity of plant-pathogen interactions makes their dissection a challenging task for metabolomics studies. Here we are reporting on an integrated metabolomics networking approach combining gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance/mass spectrometry (FT-ICR/MS) and bioinformatics analyses for the study of interactions in the potato sprout-Rhizoctoniasolani pathosystem and the fluctuations in the global metabolome of sprouts. The developed bioanalytical and bioinformatics protocols provided a snapshot of the sprout's global metabolic network and its perturbations as a result of pathogen invasion. Mevalonic acid and deoxy-xylulose pathways were substantially up-regulated leading to the biosynthesis of sesquiterpene alkaloids such as the phytoalexins phytuberin, rishitin, and solavetivone, and steroidal alkaloids having solasodine and solanidine as their common aglycons. Additionally, the perturbation of the sprout's metabolism was depicted in fluctuations of the content of their amino acids pool and that of carboxylic and fatty acids. Components of the systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and hypersensitive reaction (HR) such as azelaic and oxalic acids were detected in increased levels in infected sprouts and strategies of the pathogen to overcome plant defense were proposed. Our metabolic approach has not only greatly expanded the multitude of metabolites previously reported in potato in response to pathogen invasion, but also enabled the identification of bioactive plant-derived metabolites providing valuable information that could be exploited in biotechnology, biomarker-assisted plant breeding, and crop protection for the development of new crop protection agents. PMID:22880040

The complexity of plant-pathogen interactions makes their dissection a challenging task for metabolomics studies. Here we are reporting on an integrated metabolomics networking approach combining gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance/mass spectrometry (FT-ICR/MS) and bioinformatics analyses for the study of interactions in the potato sprout-Rhizoctoniasolani pathosystem and the fluctuations in the global metabolome of sprouts. The developed bioanalytical and bioinformatics protocols provided a snapshot of the sprout's global metabolic network and its perturbations as a result of pathogen invasion. Mevalonic acid and deoxy-xylulose pathways were substantially up-regulated leading to the biosynthesis of sesquiterpene alkaloids such as the phytoalexins phytuberin, rishitin, and solavetivone, and steroidal alkaloids having solasodine and solanidine as their common aglycons. Additionally, the perturbation of the sprout's metabolism was depicted in fluctuations of the content of their amino acids pool and that of carboxylic and fatty acids. Components of the systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and hypersensitive reaction (HR) such as azelaic and oxalic acids were detected in increased levels in infected sprouts and strategies of the pathogen to overcome plant defense were proposed. Our metabolic approach has not only greatly expanded the multitude of metabolites previously reported in potato in response to pathogen invasion, but also enabled the identification of bioactive plant-derived metabolites providing valuable information that could be exploited in biotechnology, biomarker-assisted plant breeding, and crop protection for the development of new crop protection agents. PMID:22880040

The efficacy of a rhizobacterium Streptomyces aurantiogriseus VSMGT1014 for the production of bioactive metabolites with antifungal properties was evaluated under in vitro conditions. The production of bioactive metabolites by S. aurantiogriseus VSMGT1014 in International Streptomyces Project-2 (ISP-2) broth, supplemented with glucose and ammonium acetate was found to be the most suitable carbon and nitrogen sources for the maximum production of bioactive metabolites against rice pathogen, Rhizoctoniasolani. The zone of inhibition range from 23.5 to 28.5 mm and 10.3 to 18.3 mm for glucose and ammonium acetate supplemented media, respectively. The culture filtrate of S. aurantiogriseus VSMGT1014 at pH 7.5, 37 °C at 120 rpm in 6 days of incubation showed the maximum production of bioactive metabolites with antagonistic potential. The crude metabolite was characterized by different spectral studies such as Ultraviolet spectrum, infrared-spectrum and based on the different analytical techniques, including thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with the retention time 29.4 and the bioactive metabolite was identified as phenazine, which was confirmed by pure phenazine compound as positive control. PMID:26627705

ABSTRACT Certain isolates of nonpathogenic binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. (np-BNR) are effective biocontrol agents against seedling root rot and damping-off. Inoculation of bean seed with np-BNR strain 232-CG at sowing reduced disease symptoms in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seedlings caused by R. solani. Molecular analyses of the spatial expression of three defense-associated genes were carried out using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) assays. This method allowed accurate quantitative evaluation of transcript levels of pG101 encoding for 1,3-beta-D-glucanase, gPAL1 encoding for phenylalanine ammonia lyase, and CHS17 encoding for chalcone synthase in 1- and 2-week-old bean seedlings that were inoculated simultaneously with np-BNR and infected with R. solani, and in seedlings that were singly inoculated with either fungi or not inoculated. In the seedlings that were infected with R. solani only, results revealed that, following infection, activation of all defense-associated gene transcripts was achieved with significant increases ranging from 7- to 40-fold greater than the control, depending on the defense gene and tissue analyzed. Seedlings that were treated with np-BNR and infected with R. solani had expression similar to those that were treated with np-BNR only, but the levels were significantly down-regulated compared with those that were infected with R. solani only. These findings indicate that disease suppression by np-BNR isolate is not correlated to pG101, gPAL1, and CHS17 gene activation. PMID:18943035

Rhizoctoniasolani agglutinin, further referred to as RSA, is a lectin isolated from the plant pathogenic fungus Rhizoctoniasolani. Previously, we reported a high entomotoxic activity of RSA towards the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis. To better understand the mechanism of action of RSA, Drosophila melanogaster Schneider S2 cells were treated with different concentrations of the lectin and FITC-labeled RSA binding was examined using confocal fluorescence microscopy. RSA has antiproliferative activity with a median effect concentration (EC(50)) of 0.35 µM. In addition, the lectin was typically bound to the cell surface but not internalized. In contrast, the N-acetylglucosamine-binding lectin WGA and the galactose-binding lectin PNA, which were both also inhibitory for S2 cell proliferation, were internalized whereas the mannose-binding lectin GNA did not show any activity on these cells, although it was internalized. Extracted DNA and nuclei from S2 cells treated with RSA were not different from untreated cells, confirming inhibition of proliferation without apoptosis. Pre-incubation of RSA with N-acetylgalactosamine clearly inhibited the antiproliferative activity by RSA in S2 cells, demonstrating the importance of carbohydrate binding. Similarly, the use of MEK and JAK inhibitors reduced the activity of RSA. Finally, RSA affinity chromatography of membrane proteins from S2 cells allowed the identification of several cell surface receptors involved in both signaling transduction pathways. PMID:22529896

Rhizoctoniasolani agglutinin, further referred to as RSA, is a lectin isolated from the plant pathogenic fungus Rhizoctoniasolani. Previously, we reported a high entomotoxic activity of RSA towards the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis. To better understand the mechanism of action of RSA, Drosophila melanogaster Schneider S2 cells were treated with different concentrations of the lectin and FITC-labeled RSA binding was examined using confocal fluorescence microscopy. RSA has antiproliferative activity with a median effect concentration (EC50) of 0.35 µM. In addition, the lectin was typically bound to the cell surface but not internalized. In contrast, the N-acetylglucosamine-binding lectin WGA and the galactose-binding lectin PNA, which were both also inhibitory for S2 cell proliferation, were internalized whereas the mannose-binding lectin GNA did not show any activity on these cells, although it was internalized. Extracted DNA and nuclei from S2 cells treated with RSA were not different from untreated cells, confirming inhibition of proliferation without apoptosis. Pre-incubation of RSA with N-acetylgalactosamine clearly inhibited the antiproliferative activity by RSA in S2 cells, demonstrating the importance of carbohydrate binding. Similarly, the use of MEK and JAK inhibitors reduced the activity of RSA. Finally, RSA affinity chromatography of membrane proteins from S2 cells allowed the identification of several cell surface receptors involved in both signaling transduction pathways. PMID:22529896

Bean production is affected by a wide diversity of fungal pathogens, among them Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the most important. A strategy to control bean infectious diseases, mainly those caused by fungi, is based on the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs) that can reduce the negative effects of plant pathogens and also can promote positive responses in the plant. Trichoderma is a fungal genus that is able to induce the expression of genes involved in plant defense response and also to promote plant growth, root development and nutrient uptake. In this article, a strategy that combines in silico analysis and real time PCR to detect additional bean defense-related genes, regulated by the presence of Trichoderma velutinum and/or R. solani has been applied. Based in this strategy, from the 48 bean genes initially analyzed, 14 were selected, and only WRKY33, CH5b and hGS showed an up-regulatory response in the presence of T. velutinum. The other genes were or not affected (OSM34) or down-regulated by the presence of this fungus. R. solani infection resulted in a down-regulation of most of the genes analyzed, except PR1, OSM34 and CNGC2 that were not affected, and the presence of both, T. velutinum and R. solani, up-regulates hGS and down-regulates all the other genes analyzed, except CH5b which was not significantly affected. As conclusion, the strategy described in the present work has been shown to be effective to detect genes involved in plant defense, which respond to the presence of a BCA or to a pathogen and also to the presence of both. The selected genes show significant homology with previously described plant defense genes and they are expressed in bean leaves of plants treated with T. velutinum and/or infected with R. solani. PMID:27540382

Bean production is affected by a wide diversity of fungal pathogens, among them Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the most important. A strategy to control bean infectious diseases, mainly those caused by fungi, is based on the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs) that can reduce the negative effects of plant pathogens and also can promote positive responses in the plant. Trichoderma is a fungal genus that is able to induce the expression of genes involved in plant defense response and also to promote plant growth, root development and nutrient uptake. In this article, a strategy that combines in silico analysis and real time PCR to detect additional bean defense-related genes, regulated by the presence of Trichoderma velutinum and/or R. solani has been applied. Based in this strategy, from the 48 bean genes initially analyzed, 14 were selected, and only WRKY33, CH5b and hGS showed an up-regulatory response in the presence of T. velutinum. The other genes were or not affected (OSM34) or down-regulated by the presence of this fungus. R. solani infection resulted in a down-regulation of most of the genes analyzed, except PR1, OSM34 and CNGC2 that were not affected, and the presence of both, T. velutinum and R. solani, up-regulates hGS and down-regulates all the other genes analyzed, except CH5b which was not significantly affected. As conclusion, the strategy described in the present work has been shown to be effective to detect genes involved in plant defense, which respond to the presence of a BCA or to a pathogen and also to the presence of both. The selected genes show significant homology with previously described plant defense genes and they are expressed in bean leaves of plants treated with T. velutinum and/or infected with R. solani. PMID:27540382

The amount of Rhizoctoniasolani in the soil and how much must be present to cause disease in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is relatively unknown. This is mostly because of the usually low inoculum densities found naturally in soil and the low sensitivity of traditional serial dilution assays. We investigated the usefulness of Fourier transform mid-infrared (MIR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic properties in identifying the artificial colonization of barley grains with R. solani AG 2-2 IIIB and in detecting R. solani populations in plant tissues and inoculants. The objectives of this study were to compare the ability of traditional plating assays to NIR and MIR spectroscopies to identify R. solani in different-size fractions of colonized ground barley (used as an artificial inoculum) and to differentiate colonized from non-inoculated barley. We found that NIR and MIR spectroscopies were sensitive in resolving different barley particle sizes, with particles that were <0.25 and 0.25-0.5 mm having different spectral properties than coarser particles. Moreover, we found that barley colonized with R. solani had different MIR spectral properties than the non-inoculated samples for the larger fractions (0.5-1.0, 1.0-2.0, and >2.0 mm) of the ground barley. This colonization was confirmed using traditional plating assays. Comparisons with the spectra from pure fungal cultures and non-inoculated barley suggest that the MIR spectrum of colonized barley is different because of the consumption of C substrates by the fungus rather than because of the presence of fungal bands in the spectra of the colonized samples. We found that MIR was better than NIR spectroscopy in differentiating the colonized from the control samples. PMID:26449805

Whole insect assays where Rhizoctoniasolani agglutinin (RSA) was fed to larval stages of the cotton leaf-worm Spodoptera littoralis and the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum demonstrated a high concentration-dependent entomotoxicity, suggesting that this GalNAc/Gal-specific fungal lectin might be a good control agent for different pest insects. RSA at 10 mg/g in the solid diet of 2nd-instar caterpillars caused 84% weight reduction after 8 days with none of the caterpillars reaching the 4th-instar stage. In sucking aphids, 50% mortality was achieved after 3 days with 9 μM of RSA in the liquid diet. Feeding of FITC-labeled RSA to both insect pest species revealed strong lectin binding at the apical/luminal side of the midgut epithelium with the brush border zone, suggesting the insect midgut as a primary insecticide target tissue for RSA. This was also confirmed with cell cultures in vitro, where there was high fluorescence binding at the microvillar zone with primary cultures of larval midgut columnar cells of S. littoralis, and also at the surface with the insect midgut CF-203 cell line without lectin uptake in the midgut cells. In vitro assays using insect midgut CF-203 cells, revealed that RSA was highly toxic with an EC50 of 0.3 μM. Preincubation with GalNAc and saponin indicated that this action of RSA was carbohydrate-binding dependent and happened at the surface of the cells. Intoxicated CF-203 cells showed symptoms of apoptosis as nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation, and this concurred with an increase of caspase-3/7, -8 and -9 activities. Finally, RSA affinity chromatography of membrane extracts of CF-203 cells followed by LC-MS/MS allowed the identification of 5747 unique peptides, among which four putatively glycosylated membrane proteins that are associated with apoptosis induction, namely Fas-associated factor, Apoptosis-linked gene-2, Neuroglian and CG2076, as potential binding targets for RSA. These data are discussed in relation to the

In recent years, biosynthesis and the utilisation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has become an interesting subject. In this study, the authors investigated the biosynthesis of AgNPs using Trifolium resupinatum (Persian clover) seed exudates. The characterisation of AgNPs were analysed using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy. Also, antifungal efficacy of biogenic AgNPs against two important plant-pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctoniasolani and Neofusicoccum Parvum) in vitro condition was evaluated. The XRD analysis showed that the AgNPs are crystalline in nature and have face-centred cubic geometry. TEM images revealed the spherical shape of the AgNPs with an average size of 17 nm. The synthesised AgNPs were formed at room temperature and kept stable for 4 months. The maximum distributions of the synthesised AgNPs were seen to range in size from 5 to 10 nm. The highest inhibition effect was observed against R. solani at 40 ppm concentration of AgNPs (94.1%) followed by N. parvum (84%). The results showed that the antifungal activity of AgNPs was dependent on the amounts of AgNPs. In conclusion, the AgNPs obtained from T. resupinatum seed exudate exhibit good antifungal activity against the pathogenic fungi R. solani and N. Parvum. PMID:27463795

The fungus Rhizoctoniasolani anastomosis group (AG)-1 IA emerged in the early 1990s as an important pathogen causing foliar blight and collar rot on pastures of the genus Urochloa (signalgrass) in South America. We tested the hypothesis that this pathogen emerged following a host shift or jump as a result of geographical overlapping of host species. The genetic structure of host and regional populations of R. solani AG-1 IA infecting signalgrass, rice, and soybean in Colombia and Brazil was analyzed using nine microsatellite loci in 350 isolates to measure population differentiation and infer the pathogen reproductive system. Phylogeographical analyses based on the microsatellite loci and on three DNA sequence loci were used to infer historical migration patterns and test hypotheses about the origin of the current pathogen populations. Cross pathogenicity assays were conducted to measure the degree of host specialization in populations sampled from different hosts. The combined analyses indicate that the pathogen populations currently infecting Urochloa in Colombia and Brazil most likely originated from a population that originally infected rice. R. solani AG-1 IA populations infecting Urochloa exhibit a mixed reproductive system including both sexual reproduction and long-distance dispersal of adapted clones, most likely on infected seed. The pathogen population on Urochloa has a genetic structure consistent with a high evolutionary potential and showed evidence for host specialization. PMID:26222889

A new method of direct detection of pathogenic fungi in infected soybean tissues has been reported here. The method rapidly diagnoses soybean seedling blight caused by Rhizoctoniasolani and soybean charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, and features loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The primers were designed and screened using internal transcribed spacers (ITS) as target DNAs of both pathogens. An ITS-Rs-LAMP assay for R. solani and an ITS-Mp-LAMP assay for M. phaseolina that can detect the pathogen in diseased soybean tissues in the field have been developed. Both LAMP assays efficiently amplified the target genes over 60 min at 62°C. A yellow-green color (visible to the naked eye) or intense green fluorescence (visible under ultraviolet light) was only observed in the presence of R. solani or M. phaseolina after addition of SYBR Green I. The detection limit of the ITS-Rs-LAMP assay was 10 pg μl⁻¹ of genomic DNA; and that of the ITS-Mp-LAMP assay was 100 pg μl⁻¹ of genomic DNA. Using the two assays described here, we successfully and rapidly diagnosed suspect diseased soybean samples collected in the field from Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. PMID:26606587

Studies of the saprotrophic growth dynamics of Trichoderma species and their fungal hosts during antagonistic interactions are severely hampered by the absence of methods that allow the unambiguous identification and quantification of individual genera in complex environments such as soil or compost containing mixed populations of fungi. Furthermore, methods are required that allow discrimination between active hyphal growth and other components of fungal biomass such as quiescent spores that are produced in large numbers by Trichoderma species. This study details the use of monoclonal antibodies to quantify the saprotrophic growth dynamics of the soil-borne plant pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani and biological control strains of Trichoderma asperellum and Trichoderma harzianum during antagonistic interactions in peat-based microcosms. Quantification was based on the immunological detection of constitutive, extracellular antigens that are secreted from the growing tip of Rhizoctonia and Trichoderma mycelium and, in the case of Trichoderma harzianum, from quiescent phialoconidia also. The Trichoderma-specific monoclonal antibody (MF2) binds to a protein epitope of the enzyme glucoamylase, which was shown by immunofluorescence and immunogold electron gold microscopy studies of Trichoderma virens in vitro to be produced at the origin of germ tube emergence in phialoconidia and from the growing tip of germ tubes. In addition, a non-destructive immunoblotting technique showed that the enzyme was secreted during active growth of Trichoderma asperellum mycelium in peat. The Rhizoctoniasolani-specific monoclonal antibody (EH2) similarly binds to a protein epitope of a glycoprotein that is secreted during active mycelial growth. Extracts derived from lyophilized mycelium were used as a quantifiable and repeatable source of antigens for construction of calibration curves. These curves were used to convert the absorbance values obtained in ELISA tests of peat extracts to biomass

Vitamin B6 is recognized as an important cofactor required for numerous metabolic enzymes, and has been shown to act as an antioxidant and play a role in stress responses. It can be synthesized through two different routes: salvage and de novo pathways. However, little is known about the possible function of the vitamin B6 pathways in the fungal plant pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani. Using genome walking, the de novo biosynthetic pathway genes; RsolPDX1 and RsolPDX2 and the salvage biosynthetic pathway gene, RsolPLR were sequenced. The predicted amino acid sequences of the three genes had high degrees of similarity to other fungal PDX1, PDX2, and PLR proteins and are closely related to other R. solani anastomosis groups. We also examined their regulation when subjected to reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress inducers, the superoxide generator paraquat, or H2O2, and compared it to the well-known antioxidant genes, catalase and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The genes were differentially regulated with transcript levels as high as 33 fold depending on the gene and type of stress reflecting differences in the type of damage induced by ROS. Exogenous addition of the vitamers PN or PLP in culture medium significantly induced the transcription of the vitamin B6 de novo encoding genes as early as 0.5 hour post treatment (HPT). On the other hand, transcription of RsolPLR was vitamer-specific; a down regulation upon supplementation of PN and upregulation with PLP. Our results suggest that accumulation of ROS in R. solani mycelia is linked to transcriptional regulation of the three genes and implicate the vitamin B6 biosynthesis machinery in R. solani, similar to catalases and GST, as an antioxidant stress protector against oxidative stress. PMID:26779127

The effect of carbon source on efficacy of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) toward suppression of apple root infection by Rhizoctoniasolani AG-5 and Pratylenchus penetrans was examined. Orchard grass (GR), rice bran (RB), ethanol (ET), composted steer manure (CM), and Brassica juncea seed meal (SM) were used as ASD carbon inputs, with plant assays conducted in natural and pasteurized orchard soils. Subsequent studies investigated the effect of GR application rate used in ASD on control of these pathogens. In general, apple root infection by R. solani AG-5 was significantly lower in ET, GR, RB, and SM ASD treatments compared with the control. Among different ASD treatments, apple seedling growth was significantly greater when GR or SM was used as the carbon input relative to all other ASD treatments. R. solani AG-5 DNA abundance was significantly reduced in all ASD treatments, regardless of amendment type, compared with the control. In independent experiments, ASD-GR was consistently superior to ASD-CM for limiting pathogen activity in soils. ASD treatment with a grass input rate of 20 t ha(-1) provided superior suppression of P. penetrans but grass application rate did not affect ASD efficacy in control of R. solani AG-5. The soil microbiome from ASD-GR-treated soils was clearly distinct from the control and ASD-CM-treated soils. In contrast, composition of the microbiome from control and ASD-CM-treated soils could not be differentiated. Comparative results from pasteurized and nonpasteurized soils suggest that there is potential for GR based ASD treatment to recruit microbial elements that persist over the anaerobic phase of soil incubation, which may functionally contribute to disease suppression. When ASD was conducted with GR, microbial diversity was markedly reduced relative to the control or ASD-CM soil suggesting that this parameter, typically associated with system resilience, was not instrumental to the function of ASD-induced soil suppressiveness

Rhizoctoniasolani is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes black scurf on tubers and stem and stolon canker on underground parts of potato plant. Early in the season, the fungus attacks germinating sprouts underground before they emerge from the soil. Damage at this stage results in delayed emergence of weakened plants with poor and uneven stands. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon has been investigated in this study by coupling a cDNA-suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library to differential screening to identify transcripts of R. solani that are down-regulated during infection of potato sprouts. We report on the identification of 33 unique genes with functions related to carbohydrate binding, vitamin synthesis, pathogenicity, translation, ATP and nucleic acid binding and other categories. RACE-PCR was used to clone and characterize the first full-length cDNA clones, RSENDO1 and RSGLYC1 that encode for an eukaryotic delta-endotoxin CytB protein and an intracellular glycosyl hydrolase, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed the down-regulation of RSENDO1 during infection of potato sprouts and the up-regulation of RSGLYC1 when the fungus was grown on a cellulose-based nutrient medium. In contrast, additional experiments have highlighted the down-regulation of RSENDO1 when R. solani was co-cultured with the mycoparasite Stachybotrys elegans and the bacterial antagonist Bacillus subtilis B26. These results advance our understanding of R. solani-potato interaction in subterranean parts of the plant. Such approaches could be considered in building an efficient integrated potato disease management program. PMID:25472038

The commercially available inoculant Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 is able to considerably reduce lettuce bottom rot caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. To understand the interaction between FZB42 and R. solani in the rhizosphere of lettuce, we used an axenic system with lettuce bacterized with FZB42 and inoculated with R. solani. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that FZB42 could delay the initial establishment of R. solani on the plants. To show which secondary metabolites of FZB42 are produced under these in-situ conditions, we developed an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to time of flight mass spectrometry-based method and identified surfactin, fengycin, and bacillomycin D in the lettuce rhizosphere. We hypothesized that lipopeptides and polyketides play a role in enhancing the plant defense responses in addition to the direct antagonistic effect toward R. solani and used a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction-based assay for marker genes involved in defense signaling pathways in lettuce. A significant higher expression of PDF 1.2 observed in the bacterized plants in response to subsequent pathogen challenge showed that FZB42 could enhance the lettuce defense response toward the fungal pathogen. To identify if surfactin or other nonribosomally synthesized secondary metabolites could elicit the observed enhanced defense gene expression, we examined two mutants of FZB42 deficient in production of surfactin and the lipopetides and polyketides, by expression analysis and pot experiments. In the absence of surfactin and other nonribosomally synthesized secondary metabolites, there was no enhanced PDF 1.2-mediated response to the pathogen challenge. Pot experiment results showed that the mutants failed to reduce disease incidence in lettuce as compared with the FZB42 wild type, indicating, that surfactin as well as other nonribosomally synthesized secondary metabolites play a role in the actual disease suppression and on lettuce

Bacillus subtilis RB14-C was isolated as a potential biological agent to control the occurrence of various plant diseases. Integrated control of damping-off in tomato plants caused by Rhizoctoniasolani was carried out in pots using B. subtilis RB14-C and chemical pesticide, flutolanil. The growth of RB14-C was the same in both the flutolanil-containing and the flutolanil-free media, indicating the resistance of RB14-C to flutolanil. Although the productivity of surfactin decreased to one-third in the flutolanil-containing medium, compared with that in the flutolanil-free medium, the productivity of iturin A which is mainly associated with the suppressive ability of RB14-C against plant pathogens was unaffected. The integration of RB14-C and flutolanil reduced the amount of flutolanil used to one-fourth of that of the single use of flutolanil, with the same efficacy of reducing disease occurrence. PMID:16232970

Bacillus pumilus MTCC7615, a biocontrol agent isolated from rice rhizosphere was characterized to be antagonistic to Rhizoctoniasolani, the pathogen causing sheath blight disease of rice. The phenazine-1-carboxylic acid gene (phc CD) of this bacterium was PCR amplified (1400 bp), cloned, and sequenced. The sequence analysis revealed the presence of two ORFs of phc CD gene commonly found in Pseudomonas species. The sequence showed 98% similarity to phc CD gene of the Pseudomonas isolate LBUM223 (DQ788993). The crude antibiotic extract from B. pumilus MTCC7615 was observed to inhibit mycelial growth of R. solani under in vitro conditions. The HPLC analysis of crude antibiotic extract from B. pumilus MTCC7615 confirmed the presence of phenazine. The study has also reported the presence of phc CD gene which is responsible for the synthesis of phenazine-1-carboxylic acid in B. pumilus. The ability of the bacterial isolate to control sheath blight disease in rice seedlings under in vivo conditions was confirmed by the pot culture experiment. The structural and functional genomics of phc C and phc D genes would lead to a better understanding of phenazine biosynthesis in B. pumilus for its efficient utilization in plant protection strategies. PMID:27106067

Bean is one of the major crops in Iran. Seed rot and damping-off caused by Rhizoctoniasolani is the most important disease of bean. In this research, infected roots and seedlings of beans were collected from different fields of Tehran Province. The samples were sterilized with 10% sodium hypochloride (5% stock) and incubated on PDA surface in petri-dishes. The purified fungi kept on filter paper and identified, pathogenicity test of R. solani was carried out on 2 cultivars of bean (red bean cv. Naz and white bean cv. Dehghan) and it determined. For identification of the anastomosis groups, the discs of cultured media with 5 mm. diameter of standard AG placed on one side of microscopic slides covered with water agar (2%) of 1 mm. thick and the isolates of the fungus on another side of slide about 2 cm away from each other. Experiment carried out in 4 replications. The cultures were incubated in 25 +/- 1 degrees C incubator for 24 hours, then the mycelial contact stained with lactophenol, cotton blue and hyphal anastomosis looked for under the light microscope with 10 x 40 and 10 x 100 magnifications. As a result, anastomosis groups: AG4, AG4HGII, AG2-2-2B and AG6 determined, frequency of these groups were 64, 18, 2, 16%, respectively. The group AG6 and subgroups AG4HGII and AG2-2-2B are introduced as new anastomosis groups on bean in Iran. PMID:16637168

Thirty-four endophytic actinomycetes were isolated from the roots of native plants of the Algerian Sahara. Morphological and chemical studies showed that twenty-nine isolates belonged to the Streptomyces genus and five were non-Streptomyces. All isolates were screened for their in vitro antifungal activity against Rhizoctoniasolani. The six that had the greatest pathogen inhibitory capacities were subsequently tested for their in vivo biocontrol potential on R. solani damping-off in sterilized and non-sterilized soils, and for their plant-growth promoting activities on tomato seedlings. In both soils, coating tomato seeds with antagonistic isolates significantly reduced (P<0.05) the severity of damping-off of tomato seedlings. Among the isolates tested, the strains CA-2 and AA-2 exhibited the same disease incidence reduction as thioperoxydicarbonic diamide, tetramethylthiram (TMTD) and no significant differences (P<0.05) were observed. Furthermore, they resulted in a significant increase in the seedling fresh weight, the seedling length and the root length of the seed-treated seedlings compared to the control. The taxonomic position based on 16S rDNA sequence analysis and phylogenetic studies indicated that the strains CA-2 and AA-2 were related to Streptomyces mutabilis NBRC 12800(T) (100% of similarity) and Streptomyces cyaneofuscatus JCM 4364(T) (100% of similarity), respectively. PMID:23920229

Rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae) and sheath blight (Rhizoctoniasolani) are the two most devastating diseases of rice (Oryza sativa), and have severe impacts on crop yield and grain quality. Recent evidence suggests that ethylene (ET) may play a more prominent role than salicylic acid and jasmonic acid in mediating rice disease resistance. In this study, we attempt to genetically manipulate endogenous ET levels in rice for enhancing resistance to rice blast and sheath blight diseases. Transgenic lines with inducible production of ET were generated by expressing the rice ACS2 (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase, a key enzyme of ET biosynthesis) transgene under control of a strong pathogen-inducible promoter. In comparison with the wild-type plant, the OsACS2-overexpression lines showed significantly increased levels of the OsACS2 transcripts, endogenous ET and defence gene expression, especially in response to pathogen infection. More importantly, the transgenic lines exhibited increased resistance to a field isolate of R. solani, as well as different races of M. oryzae. Assessment of the growth rate, generational time and seed production revealed little or no differences between wild type and transgenic lines. These results suggest that pathogen-inducible production of ET in transgenic rice can enhance resistance to necrotrophic and hemibiotrophic fungal pathogens without negatively impacting crop productivity. PMID:23031077

WRKY proteins constitute transcriptional regulators involved in various biological processes, especially in coping with diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. However, in contrast to other well-characterized WRKY groups, the functions of group III WRKY transcription factors are poorly understood in the economically important crop cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). In this study, a group III WRKY gene from cotton, GhWRKY27a, was isolated and characterized. Our data indicated that GhWRKY27a localized to the nucleus and that GhWRKY27a expression could be strongly induced by abiotic stresses, pathogen infection, and multiple defense-related signaling molecules. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of GhWRKY27a enhanced tolerance to drought stress in cotton. In contrast, GhWRKY27a overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana markedly reduced plant tolerance to drought stress, as determined through physiological analyses of leaf water loss, survival rates, and the stomatal aperture. This susceptibility was coupled with reduced stomatal closure in response to abscisic acid and decreased expression of stress-related genes. In addition, GhWRKY27a-overexpressing plants exhibited reduced resistance to Rhizoctoniasolani infection, mainly demonstrated by the transgenic lines exhibiting more severe disease symptoms, accompanied by attenuated expression of defense-related genes in N. benthamiana. Taken together, these findings indicated that GhWRKY27a functions in negative responses to drought tolerance and in resistance to R. solani infection. PMID:26483697

A series of multilocus sequence-based nuclear DNA markers was developed to infer the phylogeographical history of the Basidiomycetous fungal pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani AG-1 IA infecting rice and soybean worldwide. The strategy was based on sequencing of cloned genomic DNA fragments (previously used as RFLP probes) and subsequent screening of fungal isolates to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Ten primer pairs were designed based on these sequences, which resulted in PCR amplification of 200-320 bp size products and polymorphic sequences in all markers analyzed. By direct sequencing we identified both homokaryon and heterokaryon (i.e. dikaryon) isolates at each marker. Cloning the PCR products effectively estimated the allelic phase from heterokaryotic isolates. Information content varied among markers from 0.5 to 5.9 mutations per 100 bp. Thus, the former RFLP codominant probes were successfully converted into six distinctively variable sequence-based nuclear DNA markers. Rather than discarding low polymorphism loci, the combination of these distinctively variable anonymous nuclear markers would constitute an asset for the unbiased estimate of the phylogeographical parameters such as population sizes and divergent times, providing a more reliable species history that shaped the current population structure of R. solani AG-1 IA. PMID:21637462

Rhizoctoniasolani is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes disease on many crop-plant species. Anastomosis group 1-IA is the causal agent of sheath blight of rice (Oryza sativa L.), one of the most important rice diseases worldwide. R. solani AG1-IA produces a necrosis-inducing phytotoxin and rice cultivar's sensitivity to the toxin correlates with disease susceptibility. Unlike genetic analyses of sheath blight resistance where resistance loci have been reported as quantitative trait loci, phytotoxin sensitivity is inherited as a Mendelian trait that permits high-resolution mapping of the sensitivity genes. An F(2) mapping population derived from parent cultivars 'Cypress' (toxin sensitive) and 'Jasmine 85' (toxin insensitive) was used to map Rsn1, the necrosis-inducing locus. Initial mapping based on 176 F(2) progeny and 69 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers located Rsn1 on the long arm of chromosome 7, with tight linkage to SSR marker RM418. A high-resolution genetic map of the region was subsequently developed using a total of 1,043 F(2) progeny, and Rsn1 was mapped to a 0.7 cM interval flanked by markers NM590 and RM418. Analysis of the corresponding 29 Kb genomic sequences from reference cultivars 'Nipponbare' and '93-11' revealed the presence of four putative genes within the interval. Two are expressed cytokinin-O-glucosyltransferases, which fit an apoptotic pathway model of toxin activity, and are individually being investigated further as potential candidates for Rsn1. PMID:21424397

The antagonistic activity of lipopeptides in Bacillus subtilis 916 has been well documented, yet relatively little is known about their mechanism in biofilm formation and environmental colonization. This study sought to examine the interaction of B. subtilis 916 on Rhizoctoniasolani-infected rice sheath to elucidate the mechanism of colonization on plant leaves. Results showed that the mutants Δbac, Δsrf, and Δsrf + bac of B. subtilis 916, deficient in bacillomycin L and surfactin production, respectively, not only altered colony morphology but also changed swarming motility, reduced antagonistic activity, and decreased biofilm formation. In particular, biofilm formation in mutant Δbac, not Δsrf or Δsrf + bac, were restored with addition of surfactin and bacillomycin L at 10 and 50 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, surfactin and bacillomycin L were able to restore or enhance swarming motility in the corresponding mutants at 10 μg/mL, respectively. With the aid of green fluorescent protein tagging, it was demonstrated that B. subtilis 916 formed a robust biofilm on the rice sheath blight lesion and colonized well on R. solani-infected rice sheath, while its corresponding mutants performed poorly. These observations also correlated with the rice cultivar pot experiments, in which B. subtilis 916 exhibited greater biocontrol than its mutants. Our results suggest that surfactin and bacillomycin L contribute differently but synergistically to the biocontrol of rice sheath blight in B. subtilis 916 through its antifungal activity, biofilm formation, and colonization. PMID:25398282

In sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), Rhizoctonia root- or crown-rot is caused by Rhizoctoniasolani (AG-2-2). Seedling damping-off in sugar beet is caused by R. solani of both anastomosis groups, AG-2-2 and AG-4. Rhizoctoniasolani subgroup AG-2-2 IV had been considered to be the primary cause of Rhi...

In the absence of perfect state, the number of nuclei in their vegetative hyphae is one of the anamorphic features that separate Rhizoctoniasolani from other Rhizoctonia-like fungi. Anamorphs of Rhizoctoniasolani are typically multinucleate while the other Rhizoctonia species are binucleate. Howev...

Genetic manipulation of fluorescent pseudomonads has provided major insight into their production of antifungal molecules and their role in biological control of plant disease. Burkholderia cepacia also produces antifungal activities, but its biological control activity is much less well characterized, in part due to difficulties in applying genetic tools. Here the authors report genetic and biochemical characterization of a soil isolate of B. cepacia relating to its production of an unusual antibiotic that is very active against a variety of soil fungi. Purification and preliminary structural analyses suggest that this antibiotic (called AFC-BC11) is a novel lipopeptide associated largely with the cell membrane. Analysis of conditions for optimal production of AFC-BC11 indicated stringent environmental regulation of its synthesis. Furthermore, the authors show that production of AFC-BC11 is largely responsible for the ability of B. cepacia BC11 to effectively control the damping-Off of cotton caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani in a gnotobiotic system. Using Tn5 mutagenesis, they identified, cloned, and characterized a region of the genome of strain BC11 that is required for production of this antifungal metabolite. DNA sequence analysis suggested that this region encodes proteins directly involved in the production of a nonribosomally synthesized lipopeptide.

Streptomyces albidoflavus C247 was isolated from the soil of the Gyeongsan golf course in Korea. Physiological, biochemical and 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis strongly suggested that the isolate belonged to Streptomyces albidoflavus. Preliminary screening revealed that the isolate was active against fungi and bacteria. Self-directing optimization was employed to determine the best combination of parameters such as carbon and nitrogen source, pH and temperature. Nutritional and culture conditions for the production of antibiotics by this organism under shake-flask conditions were also optimized. Maltose (5%) and soytone (5%) were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources for the production of antibiotics by S. albidoflavus C247. Additionally, 62.89% mycelial growth inhibition was achieved when the organism was cultured at 30℃ and pH 6.5. Ethyl acetate (EtOAc) was the best extraction solvent for the isolation of the antibiotics, and 100 µg/ml of EtOAc extract was found to inhibit 60.27% of the mycelial growth of Rhizoctoniasolani AG2-2(IV) when the poison plate diffusion method was conducted. PMID:23983519

Rice sheath blight and blast caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn and Magnorpathe oryzae respectively, are the two most destructive fungal diseases in rice. With no genetic natural traits conferring resistance to sheath blight, transgenic manipulation provides an obvious approach. In this study, the rice basic chitinase gene (RCH10) and the alfalfa β-1,3-glucanase gene (AGLU1) were tandemly inserted into transformation vector pBI101 under the control of 35S promoter with its enhancer sequence to generate a double-defense gene expression cassette pZ100. The pZ100 cassette was transformed into rice (cv. Taipei 309) by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. More than 160 independent transformants were obtained and confirmed by PCR. Northern analysis of inheritable progenies revealed similar levels of both RCH10 and AGLU1 transcripts in the same individuals. Disease resistance to both sheath blight and blast was challenged in open field inoculation. Immunogold detection revealed that RCH10 and AGLU1 proteins were initially located mainly in the chloroplasts and were delivered to the vacuole and cell wall upon infection, suggesting that these subcellular compartments act as the gathering and execution site for these anti-fungal proteins. We also observed that transgenic seeds display lower germination rate and seedling vigor, indicating that defense enhancement might be achieved at the expense of development. PMID:24197785

Media and culturing protocols were identified that supported the formation of submerged conidia and microsclerotia (MS) by Trichoderma harzianum Rifai strain T-22 using liquid culture fermentation. Liquid media with a higher carbon concentration (36 g L(-1)) promoted MS formation at all C:N ratios tested. Hyphae aggregated to form MS after 2 d growth and after 7 d MS were fully melanized. This is the first report of MS formation by T. harzianum or any species of Trichoderma. Furthermore, submerged conidia formation was induced by liquid culture media, but yields, desiccation tolerance, and storage stability varied with C:N ratio and carbon rate. Air-dried MS granules (<4% moisture) retained excellent shelf life under cool and unrefrigerated storage conditions with no loss in conidial production. A low-cost complex nitrogen source based on cottonseed flour effectively supported high MS yields. Amending potting mix with dried MS formulations reduced or eliminated damping-off of melon seedlings caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. Together, the results provide insights into the liquid culture production, stabilization process, and bioefficacy of the hitherto unreported MS of T. harzianum as a potential biofungicide for use in integrated management programs against soilborne diseases. PMID:25813507

A two-step method was developed to evaluate potato resistance to black scurf caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. Tuber piece inoculum was first conducted in the laboratory, which was also first reported in this study. After inoculation with pathogen discs and culture for 48 h, the necrotic spots on the inoculated potato pieces were generated and measured by the crossing method. Further evaluation was conducted through field experiments using a wheat bran inoculum method. The wheat bran inoculum was placed into the pit dispersedly and surrounded seed tubers. Each cultivar or line was subjected to five treatments of 0-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-g soil inoculum. The results showed that 2–4 g of wheat bran inoculum was the optimum for identifying tuber black scurf resistance. The laboratory scores positively correlated with the incidence and severity of black scurf in the field. According to the results in the laboratory, relatively resistant cultivars could be selected for further estimation of tuber black scurf resistance in field experiments. It is a practical and effective screening method for rapid identification of resistant potato germplasm, which can reduce workload in the field, shorten time required for identification. PMID:24987302

WRKY transcription factors have been implicated in the regulation of transcriptional reprogramming associated with various plant processes but most notably with plant defense responses to pathogens. Here we demonstrate that expression of rice WRKY4 gene (OsWRKY4) was rapidly and strongly induced upon infection of Rhizoctoniasolani, the causing agent of rice sheath blight, and exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET). OsWRKY4 is localized to the nucleus of plant cells and possesses transcriptional activation ability. Modulation of OsWRKY4 transcript levels by constitutive overexpression increases resistance to the necrotrophic sheath blight fungus, concomitant with elevated expression of JA- and ET-responsive pathogenesis-related (PR) genes such as PR1a, PR1b, PR5 and PR10/PBZ1. Suppression by RNA interference (RNAi), on the other hand, compromises resistance to the fungal pathogen. Yeast one-hybrid assay and transient expression in tobacco cells reveal that OsWRKY4 specifically binds to the promoter regions of PR1b and PR5 which contain W-box (TTGAC[C/T]), or W-box like (TGAC[C/T]) cis-elements. In conclusion, we propose that OsWRKY4 functions as an important positive regulator that is implicated in the defense responses to rice sheath blight via JA/ET-dependent signal pathway. PMID:26275661

Rhizoctonia root rot is a soilborne disease of lentil caused by the fungal pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani, and is favored by cool (11-19 C or 52 - 66 F) and wet soil conditions. The disease starts as reddish or dark brown lesions on lentil plants near the soil line, and develops into sunken lesions an...

Rhizoctoniasolani Kuhn causes sheath blight disease in rice, and genetic resistance against it is the most desirable characteristic. Current improvement efforts are based on analysis of polygenic quantitative trait loci (QTLs), but interpretation is limited by the lack of information on the changes in metabolic pathways. Our previous studies linked activation of the glycolytic pathway to enhanced generation of lignin in the phenylpropanoid pathway. The current studies investigated the regulation of glycolysis by examining the time course of changes in enzymatic activities and metabolite contents. The results showed that the activities of all glycolytic enzymes as well as fructose-6-phosphate (F-6-P), fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (F-1,6-P(2)), dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP), 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and pyruvate contents increased. These results combined with our previous findings that the expression of phosphoglucomutase (PGM), triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), enolase and pyruvate kinase (PK) increased after infection suggested that the additional establishment of glycolysis in the cytosol compartment occurred after infection. Further evidence for this was our recent findings that the increase in expression of the 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK) plastid isozyme Os06g05860 was accompanied by an increase in expression of three cytosolic PFK isozymes, i.e. Os01g09570, Os01g53680 and Os04g39420, as well as pyrophosphate-dependent phosphofrucokinase (PFP) isozymes Os08g25720 (α-subunit) and Os06g13810 (β-subunit) in infected rice plants of the resistant line. The results also showed that the reactions catalysed by PFK/PFP, aldolase, GAPDH + phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) and PK in leaf sheaths of R. solani-infected rice plants were non-equilibrium reactions in vivo. This study showed that PGM, phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), TPI and phosphoglycerate mutase (PGmu

Rhizoctoniasolani is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes significant establishment and yield losses to several important food crops globally. This is the first application of high resolution X-ray micro Computed Tomography (X-ray μCT) and real-time PCR to study host–pathogen interactions in situ and elucidate the mechanism of Rhizoctonia damping-off disease over a 6-day period caused by R. solani, anastomosis group (AG) 2-1 in wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Gallant) and oil seed rape (OSR, Brassica napus cv. Marinka). Temporal, non-destructive analysis of root system architectures was performed using RooTrak and validated by the destructive method of root washing. Disease was assessed visually and related to pathogen DNA quantification in soil using real-time PCR. R. solani AG2-1 at similar initial DNA concentrations in soil was capable of causing significant damage to the developing root systems of both wheat and OSR. Disease caused reductions in primary root number, root volume, root surface area, and convex hull which were affected less in the monocotyledonous host. Wheat was more tolerant to the pathogen, exhibited fewer symptoms and developed more complex root systems. In contrast, R. solani caused earlier damage and maceration of the taproot of the dicot, OSR. Disease severity was related to pathogen DNA accumulation in soil only for OSR, however, reductions in root traits were significantly associated with both disease and pathogen DNA. The method offers the first steps in advancing current understanding of soil-borne pathogen behavior in situ at the pore scale, which may lead to the development of mitigation measures to combat disease influence in the field. PMID:26157449

Rhizoctoniasolani is a plant pathogenic fungus that causes significant establishment and yield losses to several important food crops globally. This is the first application of high resolution X-ray micro Computed Tomography (X-ray μCT) and real-time PCR to study host-pathogen interactions in situ and elucidate the mechanism of Rhizoctonia damping-off disease over a 6-day period caused by R. solani, anastomosis group (AG) 2-1 in wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Gallant) and oil seed rape (OSR, Brassica napus cv. Marinka). Temporal, non-destructive analysis of root system architectures was performed using RooTrak and validated by the destructive method of root washing. Disease was assessed visually and related to pathogen DNA quantification in soil using real-time PCR. R. solani AG2-1 at similar initial DNA concentrations in soil was capable of causing significant damage to the developing root systems of both wheat and OSR. Disease caused reductions in primary root number, root volume, root surface area, and convex hull which were affected less in the monocotyledonous host. Wheat was more tolerant to the pathogen, exhibited fewer symptoms and developed more complex root systems. In contrast, R. solani caused earlier damage and maceration of the taproot of the dicot, OSR. Disease severity was related to pathogen DNA accumulation in soil only for OSR, however, reductions in root traits were significantly associated with both disease and pathogen DNA. The method offers the first steps in advancing current understanding of soil-borne pathogen behavior in situ at the pore scale, which may lead to the development of mitigation measures to combat disease influence in the field. PMID:26157449

Rhizoctonia solaniis an important root infecting pathogen of a range of food staples worldwide including wheat, rice, maize, soybean, potato and others. Conventional resistance breeding strategies are hindered by the absence of tractable genetic resistance in any crop host. Understanding the biology and pathogenicity mechanisms of this fungus is important for addressing these disease issues, however, little is known about howR. solanicauses disease. This study capitalizes on recent genomic studies by applying mass spectrometry based proteomics to identify soluble, membrane-bound and culture filtrate proteins produced under wheat infection and vegetative growth conditions. Many of the proteins found in the culture filtrate had predicted functions relating to modification of the plant cell wall, a major activity required for pathogenesis on the plant host, including a number found only under infection conditions. Other infection related proteins included a high proportion of proteins with redox associated functions and many novel proteins without functional classification. The majority of infection only proteins tested were confirmed to show transcript up-regulation during infection including a thaumatin which increased susceptibility toR. solaniwhen expressed inNicotiana benthamiana In addition, analysis of expression during infection of different plant hosts highlighted how the infection strategy of this broad host range pathogen can be adapted to the particular host being encountered. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002806. PMID:26811357

Talc-based formulation of Burkholderia cepaci strain Bu1 was tested as seed and soil drenchs separately for its ability to control Rhizoctonia soloni the causal agent of rape seed damping-off in greenhouse and field trials. In general, the formulated bacteria was more effective to suppress the disease than the suspension of bacteria cells in carboxymethylcellulose solution (1% w/v), in both greenhouse and field trials. The formulation of strain Bul as soil and seed treatments had the greatest effect on reducing the rape seed damping-off in greenhouse and field trials (66.7, 53.3, 64.4 and 40% respectively). The formulation of strain Bu1 as soil and seed treatments were the most effective treatments to increase the root dry weights in the infected soil in greenhouse. The formulation of strain Bul as soil drench had the greatest effect on enhancement of the fresh weight of roots and stem fresh and dry weights. The formulation of strain Bu1 stored at 4 degrees C exhibited better shelf Life and efficacy in vitro than it's counterpart stored at 25 degrees C. PMID:18399433

One of the most important environmental factors that regulate the growth and antagonistic efficacy of biocontrol agents is the medium. The aim of this paper was to find the nitrogen and carbon sources that provide maximum biomass production of strains P-5 and P-6 (Pseudomonas fluorescens), B-3 and B-16 (Bacillus subtilis) and minimum cost of media, whilst maintaining biocontrol efficacy. All of the strains were grown in seven liquid media (pH=6.9) including: sucrose + yeast extract, molasses of sugar beet + yeast extract in 2:1 and 1:1 w/w ratios, molasses of sugar beet + urea, nutrient broth, molasses and malt extract, at an initial inoculation of 1 x 10(5) CFU ml(-1). Cells from over night cultures used to inoculate soil at 1 x 10(9) CFU cm(-3) soil. At the same time, fungal inoculum (infected millet seed with Rhizoctoniasolani) was added to soil at the rate of 2 g kg(-1) soil. Results indicated that growth of P-6, B-3 and B-16 in molasses + yeast extract (1:1 w/w) medium was significantly higher than in the other media. Molasses + yeast extract (1:1 and 2:1 w/w) media supported rapid growth and high cell yields in P-5. In greenhouse condition, results indicated that the influence of the media on the biocontrol efficacy of P-5, P-6, B-3 and B-16 was the same and Pseudomonas fluorescens P-5 in molasses and malt extract media reduced the severity of disease up to 72.8 percent. On the other hand, there were observed significant differences on bean growth after one month in greenhouse. P-5 in molasses + yeast extract (1:1 w/w) medium had the most effects on bean growth promotion. In this study molasses media showed good yield efficacy in all of the strains. The high sucrose concentration in molasses justifies the high biomass in all of the strains. Also, the low cost of molasses allows its concentration to be increased in media. On the other hand, yeast extract was the best organic nitrogen source for antagonist bacteria but it is expensive for an industrial process

Rhizoctoniasolani can cause pre and post-emergence damping off of Brassica oilseed species with adverse effects on stand establishment. In greenhouse experiments, we have examined resistance to two groups (AGs) of Rhizoctoniasolani among various Brassica species and varieties. R. solani AG 2-1 is ...

Rhizoctonia root and crown rot is caused by the fungus Rhizoctoniasolani and is one of the most severe soil-borne diseases of sugarbeet in Minnesota and North Dakota. Rhizoctonia root and crown rot may reduce yield significantly, and diseased beets may cause problems in storage piles. Fields with...

Rhizoctonia bare patch caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8 is a major fungal root disease in no-till cropping systems. In an 8-year experiment comparing various dryland no-till cropping systems near Ritzville, Washington, Rhizoctonia bare patch first appeared in year 3 and continued through year 8. ...

Rhizoctonia seedling damping-off can cause losses in sugar beet as well as providing inoculum for later root rot. The disease is caused by Rhizoctoniasolani. The pathogen has several subgroups, anastomosis groups (AG), of which AG-4 has historically been associated with damping-off, while AG-2-2 is...

Many Trichoderma species are well-known for their ability to promote plant growth and defense. We study how the interaction of bean plants with R. solani and/or Trichoderma affect the plants growth and the level of expression of defense-related genes. Trichoderma isolates were evaluated in vitro for their potential to antagonize R. solani. Bioassays were performed in climatic chambers and development of the plants was evaluated. The effect of Trichoderma treatment and/or R. solani infection on the expression of bean defense-related genes was analyzed by real-time PCR and the production of ergosterol and squalene was quantified. In vitro growth inhibition of R. solani was between 86 and 58%. In in vivo assays, the bean plants treated with Trichoderma harzianum T019 always had an increased size respect to control and the plants treated with this isolate did not decrease their size in presence of R. solani. The interaction of plants with R. solani and/or Trichoderma affects the level of expression of seven defense-related genes. Squalene and ergosterol production differences were found among the Trichoderma isolates, T019 showing the highest values for both compounds. T. harzianum T019 shows a positive effect on the level of resistance of bean plants to R. solani. This strain induces the expression of plant defense-related genes and produces a higher level of ergosterol, indicating its ability to grow at a higher rate in the soil, which would explain its positive effects on plant growth and defense in the presence of the pathogen. PMID:26442006

Rhizoctonia-induced root diseases can significantly affect wheat and peanut production where these two field crops are grown in rotation. Hence, this study characterized two isolates of Rhizoctonia spp. from wheat [R. cerealis (RC) and R. solani (RSW)] and one from peanut [R. solani (RSP) ] for cul...

Several species and hyphal anastomosis groups (AG) of Rhizoctoniasolani (sensu lato) cause brown patch diseases of turfgrasses. Conventional methods of identification of Rhizoctonia pathogens are time consuming and often inaccurate. A rapid identification assay for Waitea circinata (anamorph: Rhizo...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG 2-2 is the causal agent of Rhizoctonia root and crown rot in sugarbeet. This disease has recently been increasing in occurrence and severity in sugarbeet production areas in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota. Since the intraspecific groups AG 2-2 IIIB and AG 2-...

M2 is a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) element occurring in the hypovirulent isolate Rhs 1A1 of the plant pathogenic basidiomycete Rhizoctoniasolani. Rhs 1A1 originated as a sector of the virulent field isolate Rhs 1AP, which contains no detectable amount of the M2 dsRNA. The complete sequence (3,570 bp) of the M2 dsRNA has been determined. A 6.9-kbp segment of total DNA from either Rhs 1A1 or Rhs 1AP hybridizes with an M2-specific cDNA probe. The sequences of M2 dsRNA and of PCR products generated from Rhs 1A1 total DNA were found to be identical. Thus this report describes a fungal host containing full-length DNA copies of a dsRNA element. A major portion of the M2 dsRNA is located in the cytoplasm, whereas a smaller amount is found in mitochondria. Based on either the universal or the mitochondrial genetic code of filamentous fungi, one strand of M2 encodes a putative protein of 754 amino acids. The resulting polypeptide has all four motifs of a dsRNA viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) and is phylogenetically related to the RDRP of a mitochondrial dsRNA associated with hypovirulence in strain NB631 of Cryphonectria parasitica, incitant of chestnut blight. This polypeptide also has significant sequence similarity with two domains of a pentafunctional polypeptide, which catalyzes the five central steps of the shikimate pathway in yeast and filamentous fungi. PMID:9600982

Wet root rot caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn can cause seed and seedling rot of both lentil and chickpea as well as many other agricultural crops worldwide. The pathogen is favored in cool, sandy soil with high organic matter under no-till or reduced-till soil management practices. Survival spor...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG-2-2 is the causal agent of Rhizoctonia root and crown rot in sugar beet. To assess the capacity at which other anastomosis groups (AGs) are able to infect sugar beet, 15 AGs and subgroups were tested for pathogenicity on resistant (FC708 CMS) and susceptible (Monohikari) seedl...

Direct seeding cereal crops into non-tilled fields is a practice that is gaining importance in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Unfortunately, Rhizoctonia root rot and bare-patch caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8 limits the yield of direct-seeded cereals in this region. No resistan...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG8, causal agent of Rhizoctonia root rot and bare patch in dryland cereal production systems of the Pacific Northwest, USA and Australia, reduces yields in a wide range of crops. Disease is not consistently controlled by available management practices, and genetic resistance is d...

The Rhizoctonia-bacterial root rot complex in sugarbeet caused by Rhizoctoniasolani and Leuconostoc mesenteroides can cause significant yield losses. To investigate the impact of different tillage systems on this complex, field studies were conducted from 2009 to 2011. Split blocks with conventio...

Rhizoctoniasolani is an important seedling pathogen of sugar beet, causing damping-off following seedling emergence. Anastomosis group (AG)-4 has been the primary seedling pathogen reported on sugar beet, however, recent screening has found high incidence of infection by AG-2-2. Isolations of R. so...

Rhizoctoniasolani has been reported to cause damping-off and root rot of rhododendrons and azaleas. Damping-off often includes groups of dying and dead seedlings. Decline of rooted plants in containers results from both root rot and stem necrosis below or above the soil line. Root rot is usually no...

The association of necrotrophic soil-borne pathogens, Rhizoctonia spp., with a root-attacking weevil, Ceutorhynchus assimilis, and diseased tissues of Lepidium draba, an invasive perennial weed in the U.S., has been documented in its Eurasian native range. Among all isolates of Rhizoctoniasolani an...

Rhizoctonia blight (sensu lato) is a common and serious disease of many turfgrass species. The most widespread causal agent, R. solani, consists of several genetically different subpopulations. Though hyphal anastomosis reactions have been used to group Rhizoctonia species, they are time consuming a...

Rhizoctonia bare patch and root rot of wheat, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8, develops as distinct patches of stunted plants, and limits the yield of direct-seeded wheat in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States. At a long-term wheat cropping systems study site near Ritzville, WA, conve...

Rhizoctonia root rot and damping-off, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, are among the most economically important root and hypocotyl diseases in the world and affect a wide range of hosts including the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). To identify potential sources of resistance, screening material was ...

Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR), caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, is a major problem in most sugar beet production areas and can cause substantial losses in both yield and quality. Over the last decade, it has become the most prevalent root disease of sugar beet in Michigan and several other regi...

The soil-borne fungus Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8 is a major concern for farmers who practice no-till in the inland Pacific Northwest, USA. Bare patches caused by Rhizoctonia first appeared in 1999 during year 3 of a 15-year no-till cropping systems experiment near Ritzville, WA (269 mm annual precipit...

SR98 (PI 655951) is a sugarbeet germplasm with smooth, low soil tare root and high levels of resistance to damping-off and crown and root rot caused by Rhizoctoniasolani (AG2-2). Previous smooth–root releases have been highly susceptible to diseases caused by R. solani, and the SR98 has incorporate...

Rhizotonia crown and root rot of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L), caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG 2-2, is increasing in Minnesota and North Dakota. As the disease increases in prevalence and severity, more diseased roots are being stored in piles where they affect storability and postharvest quality. T...

The root rot complex, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani and Leuconostoc mesenteroides, can lead to yield loss in the field but may also lead to problems with sucrose loss in storage. Thus, studies were conducted to investigate if placing sugar beet roots suffering from root rot together with healthy roo...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8 causes distinct patches of stunted wheat in the field. Bacterial communities from bulk soil and rhizospheres of wheat were analyzed with pyrosequencing. Replicated samples were taken from inside and outside of patches; and from patches that had recovered the previous 1–2 year...

Beta vulgaris plant introductions (PI) were screened for Rhizoctonia root and crown rot, at the USDA-ARS Fort Collins, CO Research Farm. Inoculum of R. solani isolate R-9 (AG-2-2), colonized to dry barley and course ground, was applied to the crown of plants at a rate of 4.8 g/m. Beets were lifted...

Rhizotonia crown and root rot of sugarbeet, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG 2-2, is increasing in Minnesota and North Dakota. As the disease increases in prevalence and severity, more diseased roots are being stored in piles where they affect storability and postharvest quality. The objective of th...

The soilborne necrotrophic pathogens Rhizoctonia and Pythium infect a wide range of crops in the US and worldwide. These pathogens pose challenges to growers because the diseases they cause are not adequately controlled by fungicides, rotation or, for many hosts, natural genetic resistance. Although a combination of management practices are likely to be required for control of Rhizoctonia and Pythium, genetic resistance remains a key missing component. This review discusses the recent deployment of introduced genes and genome-based information for control of Rhizoctonia, with emphasis on three pathosystems: Rhizoctoniasolani AG8 and wheat, R. solani AG1-IA and rice, and R. solani AG3 or AG4 and potato. Molecular mechanisms underlying disease suppression will be addressed, if appropriate. Although less is known about genes and factors suppressive to Pythium, pathogen genomics and biological control studies are providing useful leads to effectors and antifungal factors. Prospects for resistance to Rhizoctonia and Pythium spp. will continue to improve with growing knowledge of pathogenicity strategies, host defense gene action relative to the pathogen infection process, and the role of environmental factors on pathogen-host interactions. PMID:25438786

The basidiomycete Rhizoctoniasolani is a major agent of seedling stand declines in Michigan sugar beet production. Disease progress, starting from 2-week-old sugar beet seedlings, was scored daily over the following ca. two weeks in a controlled environment, using two AG-2-2 isolates and two AG-4 i...

Rhizoctoniasolani AG-5 is a significant component of the pathogen complex that incites apple replant disease (ARD). A non-fumigant alternative, such as ASD, is highly desired for control of ARD. We examined the influence of carbon input as a determinant of ASD efficacy in the supression of apple ...

Rhizoctonia spp. cause substantial yield losses in direct-seeded cereal crops compared with conventional tillage. To investigate the mechanisms behind this increased disease, soils from tilled or direct-seeded fields were inoculated with Rhizoctonia spp. at population densities from 0.8 to 250 propagules per gram and planted with barley (Hordeum vulgare). The incidence and severity of disease did not differ between soils with different tillage histories. Both R. solani AG-8 and R. oryzae stunted plants at high inoculum densities, with the latter causing pre-emergence damping-off. High inoculum densities of both species stimulated early production of crown roots in barley seedlings. Intact soil cores from these same tilled and direct-seeded fields were used to evaluate the growth of Rhizoctonia spp. from colonized oat seeds. Growth of R. oryzae was not affected by previous tillage history. However, R. solani AG-8 grew more rapidly through soil from a long-term direct-seeded field compared to tilled soils. The differential response between these two experiments (mixed, homogenized soil versus intact soil) suggests that soil structure plays a major role in the proliferation of R. solani AG-8 through soils with different tillage histories. PMID:18944081

ABSTRACT Recent reports have shown induction of resistance to Rhizoctonia root rot using nonpathogenic strains of binucleate Rhizoctonia spp. (np-BNR). This study evaluates the biocontrol ability of several np-BNR isolates against root and foliar diseases of cotton in greenhouse trials, provides evidence for induced systemic resistance (ISR) as a mechanism in this biocontrol, and compares the disease control provided by np-BNR with that provided by the chemical inducer benzothiadiazole (BTH). Pretreatment of cotton seedlings with np-BNR isolates provided good protection against pre- and post-emergence damping-off caused by a virulent strain of Rhizoctoniasolani (AG-4). Seedling stand of protected cotton was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of nonprotected seedlings. Several np-BNR isolates significantly reduced disease severity. The combination of BTH and np-BNR provided significant protection against seedling rot and leaf spot in cotton; however, the degree of disease reduction was comparable to that obtained with np-BNR treatment alone. Significant reduction in leaf spot symptoms caused by Alternaria macrospora occurred on cotyledons pretreated with np-BNR or sprayed with BTH, and the np- BNR-treated seedlings had significantly less leaf spot than BTH-treated seedlings. The results demonstrate that np-BNR isolates can protect cotton from infections caused by both root and leaf pathogens and that disease control was superior to that observed with a chemical inducer. PMID:18943300

We herein investigated sclerotia that were obtained from cool-temperate forests in Mt. Chokai and Mt. Iwaki in north Japan and tentatively identified as the resting bodies of Cenococcum geophilum. The profiles of sclerotia-associated fungal communities were obtained through T-RFLP combined with clone library techniques. Our results showed that sclerotia in Mt. Chokai and Mt. Iwaki were predominated by Arthrinium arundinis and Inonotus sp., respectively. The results of the present study suggested that these sclerotia-associated species were responsible for the formation of sclerotia or sclerotia were originally formed by C. geophilum, but were subsequently occupied by these species after C. geophilum germinated or failed to survive due to competition. PMID:25740175

We herein investigated sclerotia that were obtained from cool-temperate forests in Mt. Chokai and Mt. Iwaki in north Japan and tentatively identified as the resting bodies of Cenococcum geophilum. The profiles of sclerotia-associated fungal communities were obtained through T-RFLP combined with clone library techniques. Our results showed that sclerotia in Mt. Chokai and Mt. Iwaki were predominated by Arthrinium arundinis and Inonotus sp., respectively. The results of the present study suggested that these sclerotia-associated species were responsible for the formation of sclerotia or sclerotia were originally formed by C. geophilum, but were subsequently occupied by these species after C. geophilum germinated or failed to survive due to competition. PMID:25740175

Species of Cenococcum, ectomycorrhizal fungi, may be particularly abundant in cold- or nutrient-stressed habitats. The fungus is easily recognized by its jet-black hyphae, and distinct compact masses of fungal mycelium called sclerotia. They are hard, black, comparatively smooth and mostly spherical. Sclerotia are formed in rhizosphere and can provide sufficient inoculums for several years. The purpose of this study is to investigate bacterial community inside sclerotia, with an interest on contribution of sclerotia to microbial diversity in rhizosphere. To investigate bacterial community inside of the fungal sclerotia by 16S rDNA gene clone library, several hundred of sclerotia (ca. 1g) were collected from sub-alpine forest soil in central Japan. Furthermore, three sclerotium grains were applied to investigate internal bacteria community by culture method. The isolated bacterial strains were then proceeded to determine their 16S rDNA partial sequences. The predominant group determined by clone library analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA genes with DNA from the sclerotia was Acidobacteria in both sclerotia and soil. Bacterial community of sclerotia showed higher diversity compared to soil. On the contrary, bacterial flora isolated from single sclerotium differed each other. Additionally, the bacterial community was composed by limited species of related genus.

The necrotrophic soilborne fungal pathogens Rhizoctoniasolani AG8 and R. oryzae are principal causal agents of Rhizoctonia root rot and bare patch of wheat in dryland cropping systems of the Pacific Northwest. A 3-year survey of 33 parcels at 11 growers' sites and 60 trial plots at 12 Washington State University cereal variety test locations was undertaken to understand the distribution of these pathogens. Pathogen DNA concentrations in soils, quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction, were correlated with precipitation, temperature maxima and minima, and soil texture factors in a pathogen-specific manner. Specifically, R. solani AG8 DNA concentration was negatively correlated with precipitation and not correlated with temperature minima, whereas R. oryzae concentration was correlated with temperature minima but not with precipitation. However, both pathogens were more abundant in soils with higher sand and lower clay content. Principal component analysis also indicated that unique groups of meteorological and soil factors were associated with each pathogen. Furthermore, tillage did not affect R. oryzae but affected R. solani AG8 at P = 0.06. Lower soil concentrations of R. solani AG8 but not R. oryzae occurred when the previously planted crop was a broadleaf (P < 0.05). Our findings showed that R. solani AG8 concentrations were consistent with the general distribution of bare patch symptoms, based on field observations and surveys of other pathogens, but was present at many sites in which bare patch symptoms were not evident. Management of Rhizoctonia root rot and bare patch should account for the likelihood that each pathogen is affected by a unique group of agroecological variables. PMID:24915426

Rhizoctonia root rot and bare patch, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani anastomosis group (AG)-8 and R. oryzae, are chronic and important yield-limiting diseases of wheat and barley in the Inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States. Major gaps remain in our understanding of the epidemiology of these diseases, in part because multiple Rhizoctonia AGs and species can be isolated from the same cereal roots from the field, contributing to the challenge of identifying the causal agents correctly. In this study, a collection totaling 498 isolates of Rhizoctonia was assembled from surveys conducted from 2000 to 2009, 2010, and 2011 over a wide range of cereal production fields throughout Washington State in the PNW. To determine the identity of the isolates, PCR with AG- or species-specific primers and/or DNA sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers was performed. R. solani AG-2-1, AG-8, AG-10, AG-3, AG-4, and AG-11 comprised 157 (32%), 70 (14%), 21 (4%), 20 (4%), 1 (0.2%), and 1 (0.2%), respectively, of the total isolates. AG-I-like binucleate Rhizoctonia sp. comprised 44 (9%) of the total; and 53 (11%), 80 (16%), and 51 (10%) were identified as R. oryzae genotypes I, II, and III, respectively. Isolates of AG-2-1, the dominant Rhizoctonia, occurred in all six agronomic zones defined by annual precipitation and temperature within the region sampled. Isolates of AG-8 also were cosmopolitan in their distribution but the frequency of isolation varied among years, and they were most abundant in zones of low and moderate precipitation. R. oryzae was cosmopolitan, and collectively the three genotypes comprised 37% of the isolates. Only isolates of R. solani AG-8 and R. oryzae genotypes II and III (but not genotype I) caused symptoms typically associated with Rhizoctonia root rot and bare patch of wheat. Isolates of AG-2-1 caused only mild root rot and AG-I-like binucleate isolates and members of groups AG-3, AG-4, and AG-11 showed only slight or no discoloration

Poultry litter (PL), a major byproduct produced in large quantities on corporate poultry farms for which new uses are needed, was evaluated for potential use as a biocontrol material against sclerotia of Sclerotium rolfsii in soil. Survival of sclerotia was evaluated following their incubation with...

The fungus Claviceps purpurea grows on grasses and cereal grains and produces six predominant ergot alkaloids. These toxic substances undergo different transformation reactions during storage and cereal processing. One of these reactions is the addition of water to a double bond in the ergoline skeleton. Since light is required for this process, the substances formed were named lumi-ergot alkaloids. From these, a new asymmetric carbon and consequently two epimers with different polarities are formed. For investigations of lumi-ergot alkaloids, ergometrine was used exemplarily as it represents one of the six ergot alkaloids predominantly formed by Claviceps purpurea. The main reaction product, the less polar compound of the two lumi-ergometrine epimers, was separated by HPLC and unambiguously identified as 10-(S)-lumi-ergometrine using X-ray structural analysis. A HPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the detection of this substance in sclerotia extracts. Using this method, the existence of both epimeric forms of lumi-ergometrine could be proved in the sclerotia. This is the first time that the existence of a lumi-transformation product of ergot alkaloids was proved in naturally grown samples. PMID:23605983

Stem canker and black scurf of potato, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, can be serious diseases causing an economically significant damage. Biocontrol activity of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 11774 against the Rhizoctonia diseases of potato was investigated in this study. Chitinase enzyme was optimally produced by B. subtilis under batch fermentation conditions similar to those of the potato-growing soil. The maximum chitinase was obtained at initial pH 8 and 30 °C. In vitro, the lytic action of the B. subtilis chitinase was detected releasing 355 μg GlcNAc ml⁻¹ from the cell wall extract of R. solani and suggesting the presence of various chitinase enzymes in the bacterial filtrate. In dual culture test, the antagonistic behavior of B. subtilis resulted in the inhibition of the radial growth of R. solani by 48.1% after 4 days. Moreover, the extracted B. subtilis chitinase reduced the growth of R. solani by 42.3% when incorporated with the PDA plates. Under greenhouse conditions, application of a bacterial suspension of B. subtilis at 109 cell mL⁻¹ significantly reduced the disease incidence of stem canker and black scurf to 22.3 and 30%, respectively. In addition, it significantly improved some biochemical parameters, growth and tubers yield. Our findings indicate two points; firstly, B. subtilis possesses a good biocontrol activity against Rhizoctonia diseases of potato, secondly, the harmonization and suitability of the soil conditions to the growth and activity of B. subtilis guaranteed a high controlling capacity against the target pathogen. PMID:26616375

Currently, fungicides are the only useful control for azalea web blight, but fungicides do not eliminate the pathogen. We have discovered that Rhizoctonia colonizes the entire azalea plant 12 months of the year in the Gulf Coast climate. This results in healthy appearing stems collected for propagat...

Sclerotia are resting structures of ectomycorrhizal fungi and appear as a response to unfavorable environmental conditions such as desiccation. They are hard, black, comparatively smooth and mostly spherical. Sclerotia are formed in rhizosphere and the 14C ages of sclerotia from A horizons of volcanic ash soils may range from modern until ca. 100~1,200 yr B.P. Most sclerotia-forming fungal species are known to be host-specific plant pathogens and therefore their abundance may indicate the presence of their host plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate fungal communities in sclerotia with an interest in describing the existing or may have previously existed host plant community. To investigate fungal community inside of sclerotia by 16S rDNA gene clone library, several hundred of sclerotia (ca. 1g) were collected from Fagus crenata forest soil in north eastern Japan. The rDNA ITS regions were then amplified by the PCR using primer pair ITS-1F/ITS-4. Aliquots of the amplified DNA were digested with restriction endonucleases AluI, Hae III, and HhaI to obtain ITS-RFLPs. To obtain the fungal community profiles a quenching fluorescence primer was used for real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to monitor the PCR amplification and then used for T-RFLP. The predominant group determined by clone library analysis from the sclerotia was Ascomycota: Arthrinium arundinis, which has been reported to be one of the soil fungal species responsible for bamboo degradation and a pathogen for many species belonging to Poaceae family.

Morels are wild edible ascomycetous mushrooms that are highly prized because of their medicinal and nutritional qualities. Ligninolytic enzymes are considered as one of the most important enzymes in fungi due to their involvement in fruiting body formation during artificial cultivation on different substrates. In the life cycle of morels, sclerotia are the intermediate stage to form a fruiting body from mycelia. We have studied the production of ligninolytic enzymes by Morchella crassipes MR8 growing on different substrates and during sclerotia formation. This fungus is able to produce ligninolytic enzymes such as laccase (Lac), lignin peroxidase (LiP), and manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) when grown on different substrates. Maximum Lac activity was observed when grown in wheat grains whereas maximum activities of MnP and LiP were observed when grown in rice straw. Laccase enzyme was produced in high titers during sclerotia formation and maturation when grown in combinations of soil and substrates. A large number of sclerotia was observed in soil and wheat grains, along with high titers of laccase. Cellulase activity was observed to be constant during sclerotia formation and maturation. The present study results suggest that laccase enzyme might play an important role in sclerotia formation in morels. PMID:23712903

ABSTRACT Allium white rot (AWR) is a serious disease of Allium spp. caused by the sclerotium-forming fungus Sclerotium cepivorum. This work has examined the effects of onion waste compost (OWC) and spent mushroom compost (SMC), with and without Trichoderma viride S17A, on sclerotia viability and AWR in glasshouse and field experiments. Incorporation of OWC into soil reduced the viability of sclerotia and the incidence of AWR on onion plants in glasshouse pot bioassays, whereas SMC or T. viride S17A only reduced incidence of AWR. In two field trials, OWC reduced sclerotia viability and was as effective in reducing AWR as a fungicide (Folicur, a.i. tebuconazole). Field application of SMC had no effect on sclerotia viability and did not control AWR. However, the addition of T. viride S17A to SMC facilitated proliferation of T. viride S17A in the soil and increased the healthy onion bulb yield. The results indicate two mechanisms for the suppression of AWR: (i) reduction in the soil population of viable sclerotia, which may be due to volatile sulfur compounds detected in OWC but absent in SMC, and (ii) prevention of infection of onion plants from sclerotia following amendment of soil with OWC, SMC, or T. viride S17A. PMID:18944057

The fungus Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the causal agents of numerous diseases that affect crop growth and yield. The aim of this present investigation was to identify a biocontrol agent that acts against R. solani and to determine the agent's protective effect through phytohormones and antioxidant regulation in experimentally infected Chinese cabbage plants. Four rhizospheric soil bacterial isolates GR53, GR169, GR786, and GR320 were tested for their antagonistic activity against R. solani. Among these isolates, GR53 significantly suppressed fungal growth. GR53 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum by phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence. The biocontrol activity of B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum GR53 was tested in Chinese cabbage plants under controlled conditions. Results showed that R. solani inhibited plant growth (length, width, fresh and dry weight of leaves) by reducing chlorophyll and total phenolic content, as well as by increasing the levels of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, and DPPH scavenging activity. By regulating the levels of these compounds, the co-inoculation of B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum GR53 heightened induced systemic resistance in infected Chinese cabbage, effectively mitigating R. solani-induced damaging effects and improving plant growth. The results obtained from this study suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum GR53 is an effective biocontrol agent to prevent the damage caused by R. solani in Chinese cabbage plants. PMID:26160009

Aspergillus flavus colonizes agricultural commodities worldwide and contaminates them with carcinogenic aflatoxins. The high genetic diversity of A. flavus populations is largely due to sexual reproduction characterized by the formation of ascospore-bearing ascocarps embedded within sclerotia. A. flavus is heterothallic and laboratory crosses between strains of the opposite mating type produce progeny showing genetic recombination. Sclerotia formed in crops are dispersed onto the soil surface at harvest and are predominantly produced by single strains of one mating type. Less commonly, sclerotia may be fertilized during co-infection of crops with sexually compatible strains. In this study, laboratory and field experiments were performed to examine sexual reproduction in single-strain and fertilized sclerotia following exposure of sclerotia to natural fungal populations in soil. Female and male roles and mitochondrial inheritance in A. flavus were also examined through reciprocal crosses between sclerotia and conidia. Single-strain sclerotia produced ascospores on soil and progeny showed biparental inheritance that included novel alleles originating from fertilization by native soil strains. Sclerotia fertilized in the laboratory and applied to soil before ascocarp formation also produced ascospores with evidence of recombination in progeny, but only known parental alleles were detected. In reciprocal crosses, sclerotia and conidia from both strains functioned as female and male, respectively, indicating A. flavus is hermaphroditic, although the degree of fertility depended upon the parental sources of sclerotia and conidia. All progeny showed maternal inheritance of mitochondria from the sclerotia. Compared to A. flavus populations in crops, soil populations would provide a higher likelihood of exposure of sclerotia to sexually compatible strains and a more diverse source of genetic material for outcrossing. PMID:26731416

Many macrofungus sclerotia are well-known medicinal herbs, health food and nutritional supplements. However, the prevalent adulterant commercial products are major hindrances to their incorporation into mainstream medical use in many countries. The mushroom sclerotia of Lignosus rhinocerotis, Poria cocos, Polyporus umbellatus, Pleurotus tuber-regium and Omphalia lapidescens are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, IR macro-fingerprint method was used in the identification of these sclerotia. The results showed that the spectrum of L. rhinocerotis (LR) was comparable with P. cocos with 94.4% correlation, except that the peak at 1543 cm-1 of LR appeared in lower intensity. The spectrum of P. umbellatus and P. tuber-regium was also correlated (91.5%), as both spectra could be clearly discriminated in that P. umbellatus spectrum has small base peaks located at the range of 1680-1500 cm-1. O. lapidescens was not comparable with all the other sclerotia as its spectrum was totally different. Its base peak was broad and derivated equally along the range. The first IR has revealed the dissimilarity among five mushrooms sclerotia. The second derivative and 2DIR further enhanced the identification in detail.

Considering the environmental pollution, edible mushroom safety is of great concern to consumers. This study aimed at providing and evaluating data on As, Cd and Pb content of sclerotia of Wolfiporia extensa collected across Yunnan in China. For the presented survey As, Cd, and Pb concentration in sclerotia of wild and cultivated W. extensa was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results showed that As, Cd, and Pb content were below the limit promulgated by WHO, with the ranges 5.27-161, 1.51-42.1 and sclerotia. Both HQ and HI through consumption of sclerotia were below 1, indicating that weekly consumption of sclerotia at the indicated doses poses no significant health risk to an adult consumer. PMID:26883402

Many macrofungus sclerotia are well-known medicinal herbs, health food and nutritional supplements. However, the prevalent adulterant commercial products are major hindrances to their incorporation into mainstream medical use in many countries. The mushroom sclerotia of Lignosus rhinocerotis, Poria cocos, Polyporus umbellatus, Pleurotus tuber-regium and Omphalia lapidescens are commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, IR macro-fingerprint method was used in the identification of these sclerotia. The results showed that the spectrum of L. rhinocerotis (LR) was comparable with P. cocos with 94.4% correlation, except that the peak at 1543cm(-1) of LR appeared in lower intensity. The spectrum of P. umbellatus and P. tuber-regium was also correlated (91.5%), as both spectra could be clearly discriminated in that P. umbellatus spectrum has small base peaks located at the range of 1680-1500cm(-1). O. lapidescens was not comparable with all the other sclerotia as its spectrum was totally different. Its base peak was broad and derivated equally along the range. The first IR has revealed the dissimilarity among five mushrooms sclerotia. The second derivative and 2DIR further enhanced the identification in detail. PMID:26186395

We investigated the role of phenazines and cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) (orfamides and sessilins), antagonistic metabolites produced by Pseudomonas sp. CMR12a, in the biological control of damping-off disease on Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis) caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-1 and root rot disease on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) caused by R. solani AG 4-HGI. A Pseudomonas mutant that only produced phenazines suppressed damping-off disease on Chinese cabbage to the same extent as CMR12a, while its efficacy to reduce root rot on bean was strongly impaired. In both pathosystems, the phenazine mutant that produced both CLPs was equally effective, but mutants that produced only one CLP lost biocontrol activity. In vitro microscopic assays revealed that mutants that only produced sessilins or orfamides inhibited mycelial growth of R. solani when applied together, while they were ineffective on their own. Phenazine-1-carboxamide suppressed mycelial growth of R. solani AG 2-1 but had no effect on AG 4-HGI. Orfamide B suppressed mycelial growth of both R. solani anastomosis groups in a dose-dependent way. Our results point to an additive interaction between both CLPs. Moreover, phenazines alone are sufficient to suppress Rhizoctonia disease on Chinese cabbage, while they need to work in tandem with the CLPs on bean. PMID:26085277

Mycoleptodiscus terrestris is plant pathogen which has been shown to be effective in controlling invasive aquatic weeds in inundative biocontrol applications. The preferred propagule for production and application is the sclerotia. In the current study, we evaluated the accumulation of carbohydrates...

Aspergillus flavus is a major producer of carcinogenic aflatoxins worldwide in corn, peanuts, tree nuts, cottonseed, spices and other crops. Many countries have strict limits on the amount of aflatoxins permitted in human commodities and animal feed. Sclerotia produced by A. flavus serve several f...

Evidence for carpogenic germination of sclerotia and infection of flowers by ascospores of Sclerotinia minor is rare. During 2007 to 2009, isolates with morphological characteristics consistent with S. minor were obtained from surface-sterilized pyrethrum flowers collected from fields in Tasmania, ...

Basal stalk rot of sunflower is an economically important, and rather unique disease, among crops that are susceptible to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This disease is the result of myceliogenic germination of sclerotia whereby the vegetative hyphae infect the sunflower below the soil level. In contrast...

Three acyl derivatives of chitosan (CS) with different side chains were synthesized and their structures were characterized. Their swelling behavior was investigated. The antifungal behavior of these chitosan derivatives was investigated in vitro on the mycelial growth, sporulation and germination of conidia or sclerotia of the sugar-beet pathogens, Rhizoctoniasolani K"uhn (AG2-2) and Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. All the prepared derivatives had a significant inhibiting effect on the different stages of development on the germination of conidia or sclerotia of all the investigated fungi. In the absence of chitosan and its derivative, R. solani exhibited the fastest growth of the fungi studied. PMID:25002014

Different Rhizoctonia species and anastomosis groups (AGs) have been reported to show variable sensitivity to various commercial fungicides. Thirty–six isolates of Rhizoctonia collected from turfgrasses were tested in vitro for sensitivity to commercial formulations of iprodione, triticonazole, and ...

A preliminary study was conducted in a greenhouse (15 ± 1oC, with supplemental lights for 12 h/day) to determine the role of AMF on onion growth and for reducing the severity of onion stunting, using a commercial AMF inoculant, BioTerra Plus, that contains 104 propagules/g (ppg) of Glomus intraradic...

Plant resistance (R) genes provide effective protection against invading pathogens at the front line of defense. Advances in genomic technology have accelerated efforts to characterize a wide range of crop R genes from diverse and economically important crops, resulting in effective crop protection....

Sheath Blight is widely regarded as one of the most important diseases of cultivated rice and germplasm improvement is essential for disease management. Genetic sources of tolerance for this disease are known, however, complex quantitative inheritance and high environmental variability make phenoty...

Aspergillus flavus colonizes agricultural commodities worldwide and contaminates them with carcinogenic aflatoxins. The high genetic diversity of A. flavus populations is largely due to sexual reproduction characterized by the formation of ascospore-bearing ascocarps embedded within sclerotia. A. ...

Ninety seven Rhizoctonia isolates were collected from different Brassica species with typical Rhizoctonia symptoms in different provinces of Vietnam. The isolates were identified using staining of nuclei and sequencing of the rDNA-ITS barcoding gene. The majority of the isolates were multinucleate R. solani and four isolates were binucleate Rhizoctonia belonging to anastomosis groups (AGs) AG-A and a new subgroup of A-F that we introduce here as AG-Fc on the basis of differences in rDNA-ITS sequence. The most prevalent multinucleate AG was AG 1-IA (45.4% of isolates), followed by AG 1-ID (17.5%), AG 1-IB (13.4%), AG 4-HGI (12.4%), AG 2-2 (5.2%), AG 7 (1.0%) and an unknown AG related to AG 1-IA and AG 1-IE that we introduce here as AG 1-IG (1.0%) on the basis of differences in rDNA-ITS sequence. AG 1-IA and AG 1-ID have not been reported before on Brassica spp. Pathogenicity tests revealed that isolates from all AGs, except AG-A, induced symptoms on detached leaves of several cabbage species. In in vitro tests on white cabbage and Chinese cabbage, both hosts were severely infected by AG 1-IB, AG 2-2, AG 4-HGI, AG 1-IG and AG-Fc isolates, while under greenhouse conditions, only AG 4-HGI, AG 2-2 and AG-Fc isolates could cause severe disease symptoms. The occurrence of the different AGs seems to be correlated with the cropping systems and cultural practices in different sampling areas suggesting that agricultural practices determine the AGs associated with Brassica plants in Vietnam. PMID:25372406

Ninety seven Rhizoctonia isolates were collected from different Brassica species with typical Rhizoctonia symptoms in different provinces of Vietnam. The isolates were identified using staining of nuclei and sequencing of the rDNA-ITS barcoding gene. The majority of the isolates were multinucleate R. solani and four isolates were binucleate Rhizoctonia belonging to anastomosis groups (AGs) AG-A and a new subgroup of A-F that we introduce here as AG-Fc on the basis of differences in rDNA-ITS sequence. The most prevalent multinucleate AG was AG 1-IA (45.4% of isolates), followed by AG 1-ID (17.5%), AG 1-IB (13.4%), AG 4-HGI (12.4%), AG 2-2 (5.2%), AG 7 (1.0%) and an unknown AG related to AG 1-IA and AG 1-IE that we introduce here as AG 1-IG (1.0%) on the basis of differences in rDNA-ITS sequence. AG 1-IA and AG 1-ID have not been reported before on Brassica spp. Pathogenicity tests revealed that isolates from all AGs, except AG-A, induced symptoms on detached leaves of several cabbage species. In in vitro tests on white cabbage and Chinese cabbage, both hosts were severely infected by AG 1-IB, AG 2-2, AG 4-HGI, AG 1-IG and AG-Fc isolates, while under greenhouse conditions, only AG 4-HGI, AG 2-2 and AG-Fc isolates could cause severe disease symptoms. The occurrence of the different AGs seems to be correlated with the cropping systems and cultural practices in different sampling areas suggesting that agricultural practices determine the AGs associated with Brassica plants in Vietnam. PMID:25372406

Brown patch, incited by Rhizoctoniasolani Kuhn, and Pythium blight, caused by Pythium spp. are two of the diseases most frequently observed on turfgrass in high maintenance stands, as on golf courses. In such conditions the control strategies, based on chemicals, are particularly difficult due to the scarcity of fungicides registered for turf in Italy. The results obtained in experimental trials carried out to evaluate the efficacy of chemical and biological products against brown patch and Pythium blight are reported. On mature turfgrass, maintained under fairway conditions, azoxystrobin, and trifoxystrobin, not yet registered on turf, were very effective against brown patch. Tebuconazole, applied in three different formulations, was very effective against R. solani, while Trichoderma spp. and azadiractine did not control the pathogen. In greenhouse conditions on Agrostis stolonifera, in the presence of severe disease incidence, due to artificial inoculation, benalaxyl-M satisfactorily controlled Pythium blight; Trichoderma spp. as well as a commercial formulation of T. harzianum, applied one week before the inoculation, were not effective. Among the fungicides not yet registered for use on turfgrass in Italy, metalaxyl-M + mancozeb was effective against Pythium blight. PMID:15151284

Relatively few ectomycorrhizal fungal species are known to form sclerotia. Usually, sclerotia are initiated at the extraradical mycelium. In this study, we present anatomical and ultrastructural evidence for the formation of sclerotia directly in the hyphal mantle of the mycorrhizal morphotype Pinirhiza sclerotia. A dark-pigmented fungal strain was isolated from Pinirhiza sclerotia and identified by molecular tools as Acephala macrosclerotiorum sp. nov., a close relative of Phialocephala fortinii s.l. As dark septate fungi are known to be mostly endophytic, resyntheses with Pinus sylvestris and A. macrosclerotiorum as well as Populus tremula x Populus tremuloides and A. macrosclerotiorum or P. fortinii s.l. were performed under axenic conditions. No mycorrhizas were found when hybrid aspen was inoculated with A. macrosclerotiorum or P. fortinii. However, A. macrosclerotiorum formed true ectomycorrhizas in vitro with P. sylvestris. Anatomical and ultrastructural features of this ectomycorrhiza are presented. The natural and synthesized ectomycorrhizal morphotypes were identical and characterized by a thin hyphal mantle that bore sclerotia in a later ontogenetic stage. The Hartig net was well-developed and grew up to the endodermis. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence at the anatomical and ultrastructural level that a close relative of P. fortinii s.l. forms true ectomycorrhizas with a coniferous host. PMID:19415343

A development-specific protein (SSP) makes up about 35 to 40% of the total protein in sclerotia of the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The protein consists of three charge isomers, with one isomer making up 80 to 90% of the total. In vitro translation of poly(A)+ RNA isolated from cells in early stages of sclerotia formation revealed that 44% of the amino acids incorporated was into SSP. In vivo- and in vitro-synthesized forms of SSP migrated at identical rates on both isoelectric focusing and denaturing polyacrylamide gels, indicating that SSP was not synthesized as a larger precursor. This was significant because SSP accumulated in membrane-bound, organellelike structures which resemble protein bodies found in seeds of many higher plants. Images PMID:2410402

Aspergillus flavus has received much attention owing to its severe impact on agriculture and fermented products induced by aflatoxin. Sclerotia morphogenesis is an important process related to A. flavus reproduction and aflatoxin biosynthesis. In order to obtain an extensive transcriptome profile of A. flavus and provide a comprehensive understanding of these physiological processes, the isolated mRNA of A. flavus CA43 cultures was subjected to high-throughput strand-specific RNA sequencing (ssRNA-seq). Our ssRNA-seq data profiled widespread transcription across the A. flavus genome, quantified vast transcripts (73% of total genes) and annotated precise transcript structures, including untranslated regions, upstream open reading frames (ORFs), alternative splicing variants and novel transcripts. We propose natural antisense transcripts in A. flavus might regulate gene expression mainly on the post-transcriptional level. This regulation might be relevant to tune biological processes such as aflatoxin biosynthesis and sclerotia development. Gene Ontology annotation of differentially expressed genes between the mycelia and sclerotia cultures indicated sclerotia development was related closely to A. flavus reproduction. Additionally, we have established the transcriptional profile of aflatoxin biosynthesis and its regulation model. We identified potential genes linking sclerotia development and aflatoxin biosynthesis. These genes could be used as targets for controlled regulation of aflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus. PMID:24849659

Eight soybean cultivars; Giza 21. Giza 22, Giza 35, Giza 82, Giza 83, Crawford, Holladay and Toamo were evaluated to Rhizoctonia root rot using agar plate and potted plant techniques. Data cleared that, in agar plate assay all soybean cultivars were moderately susceptible (MS), although the differences between them were significant (P=0.05). Generally, in potted assay, the reactions were resistant (R) or moderately resistant (MR) to root rots. Also, the differences between cultivars were significant (P=0.05). These cultivars were inoculated under greenhouse conditions with Fusarium solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctoniasolani and Sclerotium rolfsii Generally, G21 had the least pre-emergence damping-off followed by Giza 35, Crawford and Giza 83 with averages of 19.0, 20.0, 20.5 and 21.5%, respectively. In case of post-emergence, Giza 35 had the least values, followed by Giza 21, Crawford and Giza 82 with averages 3.95, 4.10, 4.10 and 4.25%, respectively. Under naturally infested soil in the field conditions the reactions of the same cultivars to damping-off were evaluated in two successive seasons. In 2002 season, G35 had the least pre-emergence damping-off % followed by Giza 21 and Giza 22 with averages of 22.61, 24.33 and 29.33%, respectively. Also, G35 had the least post-emergence damping-off % followed by Toamo and Giza 21 with averages of 9.40, 10.33 and 10.41%, respectively. In 2003 season, the same trend was appeared with light grade where Giza 35 had the least pre-emergence damping of % followed by Giza 22 and Giza 21 with averages of 30.67, 31.00 and 36.67%, respectively and Giza 35 was the most resistant cultivar against post-emergence damping-off, followed by Giza 21 and Giza 22 with averages of 10.91, 11.32 and 11.80%, respectively. Generally, Giza 21 significantly surpassed the other cultivars in plant height, number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight. Moreover, also it had second grade with the other traits. PMID:16637203

Volatile compounds emitted by sclerotia of Sclerotinia minor, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Sclerotium rolfsii were identified by solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography and mass spectometry. Both S. minor and S. sclerotiorum emitted 2-methylenebornane and 2-methylisoborneol. In addition, S. minor emitted mesityl oxide, gamma-butyrolactone, cis- and trans-linalool oxide, linalool, and trans-nerolidol. S. sclerotiorum emitted 2-methyl-2-bornene, 1-methylcamphene, and a diterpene with a molecular weight of 272. Sclerotium rolfsii did not emit any of these compounds but did emit delta-cadinene and cis-calamenene. Chemicals emitted by S. minor and S. sclerotiorum were tested to determine if they could stimulate germination of conidia of Sporidesmium sclerotivorum, a mycoparasite on sclerotia of Sclerotinia spp. Chemicals were tested at 1 part per billion to 100 parts per million, both in direct contact with conidia and near, but not in, physical contact. None of the chemicals alone nor a combination of all chemicals induced germination of conidia of S. sclerotivorum. PMID:12059156

Preparation of three novel dietary fibers (DFs) from mushroom sclerotia, namely, Pleurotus tuberregium, Polyporous rhinocerus, and Wolfiporia cocos, by a scale-up modified AOAC procedure using industrial enzymes was investigated. A remarkably high level of total dietary fiber (TDF) ranging from 81.7 to 96.3% sample dry matter (DM), in which a content of nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) ranging from 86.6 to 94.3% sclerotial TDF DM, was obtained from the three sclerotia. All sclerotial DFs were rich in beta-glucan (the glucose residue ranged from 89.7 to 94.5% NSP DM) with a very low level of resistant glycogen (ranged from 3.77 to 3.94% sclerotial TDF DM). All three novel sclerotial DFs also exhibited similar, if not better, physicochemical and functional properties (pH, color, water binding capacity, oil holding capacity, and emulsifying properties) as those of barely DF control and commercial DF-rich ingredients. The potential use of the three mushroom sclerotial DFs as a new beta-glucan type DF-rich ingredient in the food industry was discussed. PMID:16302753

Ergot is a common disease of wheat and other cereal grains that is predominantly caused by Claviceps purpurea in the field, often affecting crop yield in addition to the environment. Infected grain can be contaminated with dark sclerotia, which contain fungal metabolites such as ergot alkaloids. The occurrence of ergot alkaloids in cereal grain is a major health concern for humans and livestock. Effective and rapid screening of these mycotoxins is crucial for producers, processors, and consumers of cereal-based food and feed grain. Established methods of ergot alkaloid screening based on LC-MS or GC-MS require laborious processes. A novel method using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI)-time-of-flight (TOF) MS was developed to identify four ergot alkaloids. Using dihydroxybenzoic acid as the matrix, ergosine, ergocornine, ergocryptine, and ergocristine were readily detected in individual sclerotia of C. purpurea. The accuracy of the identified ergot alkaloids was further confirmed by tandem MS analysis. MALDI-TOF MS is suitable for high-throughput screening of ergot alkaloids because it permits rapid and accurate identification, simple sample preparation, and no derivatization or chromatographic separation. PMID:27455930

Wolfiporia cocos is a well-known medicinal mushroom widely used in China, Japan and other Asiatic countries for its various therapeutic effects. 'Revulsive cultivation' is a newly developed method for promoting sclerotia growth in W. cocos field cultivation in China. In this report, we have systematically examined the effects of 'revulsive cultivation' on the yield and quality of newly formed sclerotia. The results showed that the genetic differences between the cultivated strain and the revulsive strain of T1 used in this study did not affect the formation process of new, large sclerotia in which the mycelia of the cultivated strain grew on pine logs directionally assembled on the revulsive strain. Additionally, 'revulsive cultivation', in which the cultivated strain and the revulsive strain used had the same or different genotypes, could remarkably increase the yield, lower the water content, and increase the water-soluble polysaccharide content of the newly formed sclerotia. Moreover, we observed that the changes in the values of the tested economic traits obtained from different genotype combinations through 'revulsive cultivation' were dissimilar. The correlations of these changes with the original sclerotium-forming ability of the cultivated strains and the genetic differences between the cultivated strain and the revulsive strain were not significant. These results will broaden our knowledge regarding the field cultivation of this medical fungus, stimulate new thinking on the study of sclerotium formation in some sclerotium-forming fungi, and promote further studies on the mechanism of sclerotium formation in W. cocos. PMID:24799082

Rhizoctonia web blight has been observed to be regularly distributed across large nursies and randomly distributed in blocks of azalea cultivars of varying susceptibility. The main objective of this project was to determine seasonal changes in the population of binucleate Rhizoctonia species in indi...

One hundred and eighteen isolates of Rhizoctoniasolani were gathered from infected roots and hypocotyls of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in the fields of Tehran Province, Iran. Two isolates of the collected samples belonged to binucleate and 81 isolates to multinucleate of R. solani. The multinucleate isolates showed different anastomosis groups as AG-4 (subg. AG-4 HGI, AG-4HGII), AG-6 and AG-2. In greenhouse, pathogenicity tests carried out on bean cv. Naz in randomized design with 4 replications and each replication (pots) with 5 seeds of bean. Infection was done with seeds of wheat which were infected to the fungus with pasteurized soil. Results showed that the highest disease severity was caused by AG-4 (Rs21) isolates, whereas AG-4 (Rs74) isolates were weakly pathogenic with 90% and 21% infection, respectively. In this test the major pathogenic isolates belonged to AG-4 and they caused seed rot and damping-off of bean and AG-6 isolates were non-pathogenic. Five isolates of the fungus with major pathogenicity (Rs7, Rs18, Rs21, Rs62 and Rs71) selected and used for the reaction with different cultivars of bean. In this test, the cultivars and lines of bean (Pinto, red, white, green) studied in factorial experiment as randomized block design with 4 replications (pots). Results showed that none of the cultivars was completely resistant, however green bean cv. Sanry and pinto cv. Shad with number 4.8 disease severities had the highest susceptibility to seed rot and damping-off and red bean cv. Goli with 2.58 had the lowest susceptibility to the infection. Reaction of the cultivars and lines to the isolates of R. solani was significantly different at 1% level. Isolates of the fungus, Rs7, Rs21 with 84%, 90% pathogenicity was more virulent than the others. PMID:17390878

The serine-threonine kinase Rim15p is a master regulator of stress signaling and is required for stress tolerance and sexual sporulation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, in filamentous fungi that reproduce asexually via conidiation, the physiological function of Rim15p homologs has not been extensively analyzed. Here, we functionally characterized the protein homolog of Rim15p in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae, by deleting and overexpressing the corresponding Aorim15 gene and examining the role of this protein in stress tolerance and development. Deletion of Aorim15 resulted in an increase in the sensitivity of conidia to oxidative and heat stresses, whereas conidia of the Aorim15 overexpressing strain were more resistant to these stresses. These results indicated that AoRim15 functions in stress tolerance, similar to S. cerevisiae Rim15p. Phenotypic analysis revealed that conidiation was markedly reduced by overexpression of Aorim15 in A. oryzae, and was completely abolished in the deletion strain. In addition, the formation of sclerotia, which is another type of developmental structure in filamentous fungi, was decreased by the deletion of Aorim15, whereas Aorim15 overexpression increased the number of sclerotia. These results indicated that AoRim15 is a positive regulator of sclerotia formation and that overexpression of AoRim15 shifts the developmental balance from conidiation towards sclerotia formation. Collectively, we demonstrated that AoRim15 is involved in the stress tolerance of conidia and differentially regulates between the two developmental fates of conidiation and sclerotia formation. PMID:26467693

Water availability is an important environmental factor which has major effects on fungal activity. The effects of osmotic (KCl amended agar) and matric Polyethylene glycol ((PEG) 8000 amended agar) potentials over the range -0.1 to -5.0MPa on mycelial growth and conidial germination of eight isolates of the sclerotial parasite Coniothyrium minitans was assessed. The influence of soil water potential on the ability of three selected isolates (LU112, LU545, and T5R42i) to parasitise sclerotia of the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was determined. For all eight C. minitans isolates, decreasing osmotic and matric potentials caused a reduction in mycelial growth and conidial germination. Isolates were more sensitive to decreasing matric potential than osmotic potential. Across the isolates, growth at an osmotic potential of -5.0MPa was 30-70% of the growth seen in the control, whereas less than 20% of the control growth was seen at the corresponding matric potential. Across all isolates no conidial germination was seen at matric potential of -5.0MPa. The C. minitans isolates varied in their sensitivity to decreasing water potentials. Mycelial growth and conidial germination of three isolates (LU112, Conio, and CH1) were more tolerant of low osmotic potential and matric potential with respect to mycelial growth. Isolates T5R42i and LU430 were least tolerant. In contrast, conidial germination of isolates Conio, LU545, and T5R42i were less sensitive to decreasing matric potential. Soil water potential was seen to affect infection and viability of sclerotia by the three C. minitans isolates. Isolate LU545 reduced sclerotial viability over a wider water potential range (-0.01 to -1.5MPa) compared with LU112 (-0.01 to -1.0MPa), with isolate T5R42i being intermediate. Indigenous soil fungi (Trichoderma spp. and Clonostachys rosea) were recovered from sclerotia but did not result in reduction in sclerotial viability. The relevance of these results in relation to

Three water-soluble polysaccharide fractions (IOP40, IOP60 and IOP80) were isolated by using different concentrations of alcohol precipitation from Inonotus obliquus sclerotia. Their physicochemical properties, including total sugar content, protein content, monosaccharide composition and percentage were analyzed. And their in vitro antioxidant capacities were investigated in terms of reducing power assay and scavenging of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, hydroxyl radicals, superoxide anion radicals and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In general, three polysaccharide fractions exhibited increasing antioxidant activity with increasing concentration at the ranges of tested dosage. The orders of reducing power, DPPH-scavenging capacity, H2O2-scavenging capacity, and hydroxyl-scavenging activity were all IOP60>IOP40>IOP80. These findings demonstrated that three polysaccharide fractions extracted from I. obliquus, especially IOP60, could be employed as natural ingredients in functional food and pharmaceutical industry to alleviate the oxidative stress. PMID:24145301

Sudden death syndrome (SDS), caused by the soilborne fungal pathogen Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines, is one of the most important diseases of soybean. Lignin degradation may play a role in the infection, colonization, and survival of the fungus in root tissue . Lignin degradation by F. solani f. sp...

Several methods with potential for the management of Rhizoctonia diseases of canola and lupin including several methods with potential for the management of Rhizoctonia plant resistance, fungicide seed treatment and biological control using binucleate Rhizoctonia anastomosis groups (AGs) were evalua...

Polyporus umbellatus is a medicinal fungus, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands years for treatment of edema, scanty urine, vaginal discharge, jaundice and diarrhea. The structure of a soluble polysaccharide (named PUP80S1), purified from the sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus was elucidated by gas chromatography (GC), GC-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. PUP80S1 is a branched polysaccharide containing approximately 8.5% uronic acid and having an average molecular weight of 8.8kDa. Atomic force microscopy of PUP80S1 reveals a globular chain conformation in water. Antioxidant tests, Oxygen radical absorption capacity and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assays indicate that PUP80S1 possesses significant antioxidant activity. But the related polysaccharide, PUP60S2, which contains more uronic acid residues and a higher level of branching, shows better antioxidant activity. These results suggest that structure features of polysaccharides play an important role in their physiological functions. PMID:27516268

The effect of three novel dietary fibers (DFs) prepared from mushroom sclerotia, namely, Pleurotus tuber-regium, Polyporus rhinocerus, and Wolfiporia cocos, on calcium and magnesium absorption was evaluated in ovariectomized (OVX) rats fed with sclerotial DF based and low Ca (0.3%) diets for 14 days. The animals in the W. cocos DF diet group possessed significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels of cecal total short-chain fatty acids (204 mumol/g of cecal content) and had an acidic pH (5.88) in their cecum when compared with those of the cellulose control group. Such an acidic environment was found to promote the ionization of the unabsorbed Ca and Mg in their cecum, which in turn significantly (p < 0.05) increased the concentrations of cecal soluble Ca (2.56-fold) and Mg (1.22-fold). Besides, the apparent Ca and Mg absorptions of the W. cocos DF group were also significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced (Ca, 16.5%; Mg, 15.3%) together with significantly (p < 0.05) higher serum Ca (3.61 mmol/L) and Mg (1.07 mmol/L) levels when compared with those of the cellulose control group. These data suggest that ingestion of W. cocos DF could improve the overall Ca and Mg absorptions of the OVX rats fed a low Ca diet. The potential use of sclerotial DFs as a functional food ingredient for enhancing mineral absorption is also discussed. PMID:16506854

The in vitro fermentability of three novel dietary fibers (DFs) prepared from mushroom sclerotia, namely, Pleurotus tuber-regium, Polyporous rhinocerus, and Wolfiporia cocos, was investigated and compared with that of the cellulose control. All DF samples (0.5 g each) were fermented in vitro with a human fecal homogenate (10 mL) in a batch system (total volume, 50 mL) under strictly anaerobic conditions (using oxygen reducing enzyme and under argon atmosphere) at 37 degrees C for 24 h. All three novel sclerotial DFs exhibited notably higher dry matter disappearance (P. tuber-regium, 8.56%; P. rhinocerus, 13.5%; and W. cocos, 53.4%) and organic matter disappearance (P. tuber-regium, 9.82%; P. rhinocerus, 14.6%; and W. cocos, 57.4%) when compared with those of the cellulose control. Nevertheless, only the W. cocos DF was remarkably degraded to produce considerable amounts of total short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) (5.23 mmol/g DF on organic matter basis, with a relatively higher molar ratio of propionate) that lowered the pH of its nonfermented residue to a slightly acidic level (5.89). Variations on the in vitro fermentability among the three sclerotial DFs might mainly be attributed to their different amounts of interwoven hyphae present (different amounts of enzyme inaccessible cell wall components) as well as the possible different structural arrangement (linkage and degree of branching) of their beta-glucans. PMID:16302755

Spotted knapweed (SKW) (Centaurea maculosa Lamarck) is a non-indigenous species that is invasive over large areas in the U.S., especially in the western U. S. and Canada. It has been estimated that infestations of SKW cause $42 million in direct and indirect economic losses annually and the weed cou...

The ability for biocontrol and plant growth promotion of three Pseudomonas bacterial isolates namely Pseudomonas fluorescens (UMB20), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (KMB25) and Pseudomonas asplenii (BMB42) obtained from rice plants was investigated. Fungal growth inhibition by the isolates ranged from 86.85 to 93.15% in volatile and 100% in diffusible metabolites test. Among the isolates, BMB42 showed fungal growth inhibition significantly in the volatile metabolite test. Isolates UMB20 and BMB42 were able to synthesis chitinase with chitinolytic indices of 13.66 and 13.50, respectively. In case of -1,3-glucanase, all the isolates showed activity to produce this enzyme at varied levels and isolate KMB25 showed significantly highest activity (53.53 ppm). Among the three isolates, KMB25 showed positive response to protease production and all of them were negative to pectinase and lipase and positive to the production of siderophore, and HCN, and were able to solubilize tricalcium phosphate. All the three bacterial isolates were capable of forming biofilm at different levels. Above results suggest that phylloplane Pseudomonas bacterial isolates have potential for antifungal activities and plant growth promotion. PMID:27498507

The widespread acceptance of reduced-tillage farming in cereal cropping systems in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the U.S. has resulted in increased use of herbicides for weed control. However, soil residual levels of widely used imidazalone herbicides limit the cultivation barley, which is more sen...

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is considered a model crop plant due to its importance worldwide as a food source, a small diploid genome suitable for genetic and proteomic analyses, and completion of the rice genome sequence. The objective of our research was to utilize both proteomic and genetic approaches...

Dried sclerotia of Wolfiporia extensa has a long history of medicinal and grocery uses in Asia and elsewhere. This study aimed at providing and evaluating data on activity concentrations from artificial (137)Cs and (134)Cs radionuclides and natural (40)K in sclerotia collected across of the Yunnan land in China, which is generally lacking information. Sclerotia of W. extensa showed a low contamination with (137)Cs while (134)Cs was below limit of quantification. Estimated, the nominal value of effective dose (μSv) received by adult eating annually 50 g of the 'average' Yunnan's origin sclerotia contained in the 'Fuling jiabing' snack due to (137)Cs could be between < 0.00091 and 0.0047 ± 0.0007 μSv per capita and at < 0.000015 to 0.000078 ± 0.000012 μSv per kg of body mass, which is a very low exposure. This study has revealed also that sclerotia of W. extensa are characterized by very low content of (40)K (hence also of total K) when compared to fruiting bodies of many saprobic and mycorrhizal mushrooms. PMID:26079339

Trichoderma afroharzianum is one of the best characterized Trichoderma species, and strains have been utilized as plant disease suppressive inoculants. In contrast, Trichoderma gamsii has only recently been described, and there is limited knowledge of its disease suppressive efficacies. Comparative studies of changes in gene expression during interactions of these species with their target plant pathogens will provide fundamental information on pathogen antibiosis functions. In the present study, we used complementary DNA amplified fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) analysis to investigate changes in transcript profiling of T. afroharzianum strain LTR-2 and T. gamsii strain Tk7a during in vitro interactions with plant pathogenic Rhizoctoniasolani and Pythium irregulare. Considerable differences were resolved in the overall expression profiles of strains LTR-2 and Tk7a when challenged with either plant pathogen. In strain LTR-2, previously reported mycoparasitism-related genes such as chitinase, polyketide synthase, and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase were found to be differentially expressed. This was not so for strain Tk7a, with the only previously reported antibiosis-associated genes being small secreted cysteine-rich proteins. Although only one differentially expressed gene was common to both strains LTR-2 and Tk7a, numerous genes reportedly associated with pathogen antibiosis processes were differentially expressed in both strains, including degradative enzymes and membrane transport proteins. A number of novel potential antibiosis-related transcripts were found from strains LTR-2 and Tk7a and remain to be identified. The expression kinetics of 20 Trichoderma (10 from strain LTR-2, 10 from strain Tk7a) transcript-derived fragments (TDFs) were quantified by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) at pre- and post-mycelia contact stages of Trichoderma-prey interactions, thereby confirming differential gene expression. Collectively, this research

The aim of this study was to apply a generated Δtku70 strain with increased homologous recombination efficiency from the mycoparasitic fungus Trichoderma virens for studying the involvement of laccases in the degradation of sclerotia of plant pathogenic fungi. Inactivation of the non-homologous end-joining pathway has become a successful tool in filamentous fungi to overcome poor targeting efficiencies for genetic engineering. Here, we applied this principle to the biocontrol fungus T. virens, strain I10, by deleting its tku70 gene. This strain was subsequently used to delete the laccase gene lcc1, which we found to be expressed after interaction of T. virens with sclerotia of the plant pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Lcc1 was strongly upregulated at early colonization of B. cinerea sclerotia and steadily induced during colonization of S. sclerotiorum sclerotia. The Δtku70Δlcc1 mutant was altered in its ability to degrade the sclerotia of B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum. Interestingly, while the decaying ability for B. cinerea sclerotia was significantly decreased, that to degrade S. sclerotiorum sclerotia was even enhanced, suggesting the operation of different mechanisms in the mycoparasitism of these two types of sclerotia by the laccase LCC1. PMID:20872221

Lignosus rhinocerus, the tiger milk mushroom, is one of the most important medicinal mushrooms used by the indigenous people of Southeast Asia and China. It has been used to treat breast cancer. A cold water extract (LR-CW) prepared from the sclerotia of L. rhinocerus cultivar was found to exhibit antiproliferative activity against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and human lung carcinoma (A549), with IC(50) of 96.7 μg/mL and 466.7 μg/mL, respectively. In comparison, LR-CW did not show significant cytotoxicity against the two corresponding human normal cells, 184B5 (human breast cell) and NL 20 (human lung cell). DNA fragmentation studies suggested that the cytotoxic action of LR-CW against cancer cells is mediated by apoptosis. Sephadex G-50 gel filtration fractionation of LR-CW yielded a high-molecular-weight and a low-molecular-weight fraction. The high-molecular-weight fraction contains mainly carbohydrate (68.7%) and small amount of protein (3.6%), whereas the low-molecular-weight fraction contains 31% carbohydrate and was devoid of protein. Only the high-molecular-weight fraction exhibited antiproliferative activity against cancer cells, with IC(50) of 70.0 μg/mL and 76.7 μg/mL, respectively. Thus, the cytotoxic action of the LR-CW is due to the high-molecular-weight fraction, either the proteins or protein-carbohydrate complex. PMID:22454675

Lignosus rhinocerus, the tiger milk mushroom, is one of the most important medicinal mushrooms used by the indigenous people of Southeast Asia and China. It has been used to treat breast cancer. A cold water extract (LR-CW) prepared from the sclerotia of L. rhinocerus cultivar was found to exhibit antiproliferative activity against human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and human lung carcinoma (A549), with IC50 of 96.7 μg/mL and 466.7 μg/mL, respectively. In comparison, LR-CW did not show significant cytotoxicity against the two corresponding human normal cells, 184B5 (human breast cell) and NL 20 (human lung cell). DNA fragmentation studies suggested that the cytotoxic action of LR-CW against cancer cells is mediated by apoptosis. Sephadex G-50 gel filtration fractionation of LR-CW yielded a high-molecular-weight and a low-molecular-weight fraction. The high-molecular-weight fraction contains mainly carbohydrate (68.7%) and small amount of protein (3.6%), whereas the low-molecular-weight fraction contains 31% carbohydrate and was devoid of protein. Only the high-molecular-weight fraction exhibited antiproliferative activity against cancer cells, with IC50 of 70.0 μg/mL and 76.7 μg/mL, respectively. Thus, the cytotoxic action of the LR-CW is due to the high-molecular-weight fraction, either the proteins or protein-carbohydrate complex. PMID:22454675

This laboratory has long been interested in the biogenesis and biological properties of two indolizidine alkaloids, slaframine and swainsonine that are produced by the fungal parasite Rhizoctonia Leguminicola. Slaframine, (1S,6S,8aS-1 acetoxy-6-aminooctahydroindolizine) is a parasympathetic secretagogue, and swainsonine (1S,2R,8R,8aR-1,2,8-trihydroxyoctahydroindolizine) is a potent {alpha}-mannosidase inhibitor. This thesis concerns the initial steps of the biosynthesis of these alkaloids from lysine, via the common intermediate pipecolic acid, in whole cells and cell free enzyme systems of R. leguminicola. In confirmation of earlier work performed in this laboratory, L-lysine was used preferentially for pipecolate biosynthesis in R. Leguminicola. This pathway was supported by the finding that cell free extracts of R. leguminicola consistently converted L-(U-{sup 14}C)-lysine to three labelled metabolites: saccharopine, peak II, and pipecolic acid. Peak II was subsequently identified by appropriate proton NMR studies to be {delta}{sup 1}-piperideine-6-carboxylate, and the following pathway of pipecolic acid formation was postulated: L-lysine {yields} saccharopine {yields} {delta}{sup 1}-piperideine-6-carboxylate {yields} pipecolate. This pathway was confirmed by demonstration of each enzymatic step in vitro from purified radiolabeled substrates.

The aim of two year investigation was the valuation the effect of biopreparate Polyversum (B.A.S. Pythium oligandrum) and preparate Biochikol 020 PC (B.A.S. chitosan) used in control of potato against Phytophthora blight on the tuber infestation during storage by Helminthosporium solani and tuber infestation by sclerotia of Rhizoctoniasolani. As the standard fungicide Vitavax 200 FS (B.A.S. karboxin and thiuram) was used. After harvesting 100 tubers from each plots was collected and put in storage. The analysis of tuber infestation by Rhizoctoniasolani and Helminthosporium solani was made after harvesting (September) and later every 3 months during storage period (December, March). The percent of diseased tubers in tested sample and also infestation degree of bulbs using 5-degree scale was estimated. The received results of investigations ascertained, that all tested preparations during potato vegetation influenced on lower (in comparison with control) degree of bulbs infestation by sclerots of Rhizoctoniasolani and the mean degree of infestation by Helminthosporium solani. Moreover the percent of diseased tubers infected by pathogens with tested preparations combination was significant lower than in control. PMID:18396836

Azalea web blight, caused by binucleate species of Rhizoctonia (BNR), occurs yearly on some azalea cultivars during nursery production in the U.S. Azalea shoots collected for cutting propagation can harbor the pathogen, thus allowing the disease to be perpetuated. Previous studies have demonstrated ...

A total of 179 isolates of Rhizoctonia and Rhizoctonia-like species were obtained from soil and plant samples collected from irrigated pea crops in the semi-arid Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington from 2011 to 2013, and characterized to species, subspecies, and anastomosis groups (AG) based on ...

Hyalo hypho mycosis due to Fusarium species mainly occurs in immunocompromised hosts. The clinical presentation varies from localized to disseminated involvement. A case of localized cutaneous fusariosis caused by Fusarium solani in a renal transplant patient is described and the skin manifestations of the disease are discussed. PMID:25249722

A novel water-soluble polysaccharide-protein complex (PRW1) isolated from the sclerotia of an edible mushroom Polyporus rhinocerus which was purified by membrane ultrafiltration could significantly activate murine macrophages RAW264.7 in vitro. PRW1 had a molecular weight of less than 50 kDa and was found to be a highly branched heteropolysaccharide-protein complex composed of 45.7 ± 0.97% polysaccharide and 44.2 ± 0.41% protein. Based on the results of total acid hydrolysis, methylation analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the carbohydrate moiety of PRW1 was found to be a β-d-mannoglucan with its backbone containing →1)-d-Glcp-(4→, →1)-d-Glcp-(6→, and →1)-d-Manp-(2→ residues (molar ratio of 5:4:6) and having terminal d-Glcp as side chain (degree of branching of 0.62). In vitro studies showed that PRW1 significantly induced NO production and enhanced the release of a variety of cytokines including G-CSF, GM-CSF, IL-6, IL12p40/70, MCP-1, MCP-5, MIP-1-α, MIP-2, RANTES, sTNFRI, and TNF-α. Mechanistically, PRW1 treatment triggered ERK phosphorylation to activate macrophages within 15 min and significantly increased the expression level of inducible NOS after 6 h. In summary, this study indicates that PRW1 derived from the sclerotia of P. rhinocerus is a potential immunomodulatory agent for cancer immunotherapy. PMID:27054263

Azalea web blight is an annual problem on some evergreen azalea cultivars grown in containerized nursery production in the southern and eastern United States. The binucleate Rhizoctonia species, which cause the disease, are spread on new shoot growth harvested for propagation. Rhizoctonia can be eli...

Rhizoctonia species were reported to be an important component of the complex involved in damping-off of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) seedlings and cause severe crown rot of seedlings in nurseries. However, no information is available on the anastomosis groups (AGs) of Rhizoctonia associated with d...

Binucleate Rhizoctonia fungi cause web blight on azaleas and other woody ornamental plants. This research focused on one aspect of how the pathogen may spread from contaminated floors of propagation houses into trays containing clean azalea stem cuttings that generate new root systems. Rhizoctonia w...

Rhizoctonia web blight, caused by binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., is an annual problem in the southern United States on container-grown azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) that receive daily irrigation. Disease progress was assessed weekly from mid-May to mid-September in blocks of nursery-grown plants at thre...

In the southern and eastern U.S., azalea 'Gumpo' stems cut during the spring for propagation may be infested with Rhizoctonia spp. Multiple methods were evaluated for the purpose of eliminating Rhizoctonia spp. from stem cuttings to prevent spread into the propagation house. Stems were inoculated w...

Rhizoctonia web blight, caused by binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., is an annual problem in the southern United States on container-grown azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) that receive daily irrigation. Disease progress was assessed weekly from mid-May to early October in blocks of nursery-grown plants at four...

The development of eco-friendly methods for the synthesis of nanomaterial shape and size is an important area of research in the field of nanotechnology. The present investigation deals with the extracellular rapid biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Fusarium solani culture filtrate. The UV-vis spectra of the fungal culture filtrate medium containing gold ion showed peak at 527 nm corresponding to the plasmon absorbance of gold nanoparticles. FTIR spectra provide an evidence for the presence of heterocyclic compound in the culture filtrate, which increases the stability of the synthesized gold nanoparticles. The X-ray analysis respects the Bragg's law and confirmed the crystalline nature of the gold nanoparticles. AFM analysis showed the results of particle sizes (41 nm). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the gold nanoparticles are spherical in shape with the size range from 20 to 50 nm. The use of F. solani will offer several advantages since it is considered as a non-human pathogenic organism. The fungus F. solani has a fast growth rate, rapid capacity of metallic ions reduction, NPs stabilization and facile and economical biomass handling. Extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles could be highly advantageous from the point of view of synthesis in large quantities, time consumption, eco-friendly, non-toxic and easy downstream processing.

A causal agent for Dry root rot (DRR) of citrus has not been definitively identified, but the organism most consistently associated with DRR is Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. To efficiently screen a citrus germplasm collection for resistance to F. solani, a core subset of the collection was evaluated...

The foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach), is cosmopolitan and feeds on a wide variety of host plants. This species is major pest of soybeans in Asia but, it is not a pest of soybeans in North America. Because of these host plant preferences, it has been suspected that A. solani may repr...

A two-year survey was conducted in a potato production region to investigate the genetic variability within naturally infecting populations of Alternaria solani, the cause of early blight in potato, and between species A. solani and A. dauci. Genetic diversity among 151 isolates was assessed using s...

The resistance phenotypes of nine potato cultivars to five isolates of Alternaria solani, causal agent of early blight, were studied after inoculation and growth under greenhouse conditions. We identified potato cultivars with both susceptible and resistant phenotypes as well as A. solani isolates ...

Phylogenetic relationships of Rhizoctonia fungi within the order Cantharellales were studied using sequence data from portions of the ribosomal DNA cluster regions ITS-LSU, rpb2, tef1, and atp6 for 50 taxa, and public sequence data from the rpb2 locus for 165 taxa. Data sets were analysed individually and combined using Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian Phylogenetic Inference methods. All analyses supported the monophyly of the family Ceratobasidiaceae, which comprises the genera Ceratobasidium and Thanatephorus. Multi-locus analysis revealed 10 well-supported monophyletic groups that were consistent with previous separation into anastomosis groups based on hyphal fusion criteria. This analysis coupled with analyses of a larger sample of 165 rpb2 sequences of fungi in the Cantharellales supported a sister relationship between the Botryobasidiaceae and Ceratobasidiaceae and a sister relationship of the Tulasnellaceae with the rest of the Cantharellales. The inclusion of additional sequence data did not clarify incongruences observed in previous studies of Rhizoctonia fungi in the Cantharellales based on analyses of a single or multiple genes. The diversity of ecological and morphological characters associated with these fungi requires further investigation on character evolution for re-evaluating homologous and homoplasious characters. PMID:27020160

Culture-independent analysis of the gut of a wood-boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), revealed a consistent association between members of the fungal Fusarium solani species complex and the larval stage of both colony-derived and wild A. glabripennis populations. Using the translation elongation factor 1-alpha region for culture-independent phylogenetic and operational taxonomic unit (OTU)-based analyses, only two OTUs were detected, suggesting that genetic variance at this locus was low among A. glabripennis-associated isolates. To better survey the genetic variation of F. solani associated with A. glabripennis, and establish its phylogenetic relationship with other members of the F. solani species complex, single spore isolates were created from different populations and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis was performed using a combination of the translation elongation factor alpha-1, internal transcribed spacer, and large subunit rDNA regions. These analyses revealed that colony-derived larvae reared in three different tree species or on artificial diet, as well as larvae from wild populations collected from three additional tree species in New York City and from a single tree species in Worcester, MA, consistently harbored F. solani within their guts. While there is some genetic variation in the F. solani carried between populations, within-population variation is low. We speculate that F. solani is able to fill a broad niche in the A. glabripennis gut, providing it with fungal lignocellulases to allow the larvae to grow and develop on woody tissue. However, it is likely that many F. solani genotypes could potentially fill this niche, so the relationship may not be limited to a single member of the F. solani species complex. While little is known about the role of filamentous fungi and their symbiotic associations with insects, this report suggests that larval A. glabripennis has developed an intimate relationship with F. solani

The catabolism of lysine was studied in several yeasts and fungi. Results with cell-free extracts of Rhizoctonia leguminicola support a proposed pathway involving (D- and L-) EPSILON-N-acetyllysine, alpha-keto-epsilon-acetamidohexanoic acid, delta-acetamidovaleric acid, and delta-aminovaleric acid in the conversion of L-lysine to shortchain organic acids. Label from radioactive L-lysine was found to accumulate in D- and L-epsilon-N-acetyllysine, delta-acetamidovaleric acid, delta-aminovaleric acid, and glutaric acid in cultures of R. leguminicola, Neurospora crassa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Hansenula saturnus, suggesting that the proposed omega-acetyl pathway of lysine catabolism is generalized among yeasts and fungi. In N. crassa, as is the case in R. leguminicola, the major precursor of L-pipecolic acid was the L-isomer of lysine; 15N experiments were consistent with delta1-piperideine-2-carboxylic acid as an intermediate in the transformation. PMID:131119

Certain hypovirulent Rhizoctonia isolates effectively protect plants against well-known important pathogens among Rhizoctonia isolates as well as against other pathogens. The modes of action involved in this protection include resistance induced in plants by colonization with hypovirulent Rhizoctonia isolates. The qualifications of hypovirulent isolates (efficient protection, rapid growth, effective colonization of the plants, and easy application in the field) provide a significant potential for the development of a commercial microbial preparation for application as biological control agents. Understanding of the modes of action involved in protection is important for improving the various aspects of development and application of such preparations. The hypothesis of the present study is that resistance pathways such as systemic acquired resistance (SAR), induced systemic resistance (ISR), and phytoalexins are induced in plants colonized by the protective hypovirulent Rhizoctonia isolates and are involved in the protection of these plants against pathogenic Rhizoctonia. Changes in protection levels of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants defective in defense-related genes (npr1-1, npr1-2, ndr1-1, npr1-2/ndr1-1, cim6, wrky70.1, snc1, and pbs3-1) and colonized with the hypovirulent Rhizoctonia isolates compared with that of the wild type (wt) plants colonized with the same isolates confirmed the involvement of induced resistance in the protection of the plants against pathogenic Rhizoctonia spp., although protection levels of mutants constantly expressing SAR genes (snc1 and cim6) were lower than that of wt plants. Plant colonization by hypovirulent Rhizoctonia isolates induced elevated expression levels of the following genes: PR5 (SAR), PDF1.2, LOX2, LOX1, CORI3 (ISR), and PAD3 (phytoalexin production), which indicated that all of these pathways were induced in the hypovirulent-colonized plants. When SAR or ISR were induced separately in plants after application of the

Inonotus obliquus is an edible and medicinal mushroom to treat many diseases. In the present study, polysaccharides and fractions were isolated and purified by DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-200 chromatography from I. obliquus wild sclerotia, culture broth and cultured mycelia under submerged fermentation. The extracts and fractions could significantly induce the secretion of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-2 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and showed no toxicity to PBMCs. The stimulation effect of the six extracts and eight fractions on the four-cytokine production was dose-dependent. Sclerotial polysaccharides were more effective in the four-cytokine production at 150 μg/ml while exopolysaccharides and endopolysacchrides showed a much better effect on IL-1β production at 30 μg/ml. Purified fractions from exopolysaccharides and endopolysaccharides were more effective than the fraction from sclerotia in most cytokine production. These heteropolysaccharide-protein conjugates mainly contained glucose, galactose, and mannose. Protein content, molecular weight, monosaccharide molar ratio, and anomeric carbon configuration differed from each other and had effects on the cytokine induction activity of the polysaccharides to some extent. PMID:24867795

The effects of metam-sodium application rate on soil residence time, spatial and temporal distributions of methyl isothiocyanate and pest control efficacy were studied in a Georgia sandy soil. Metam-sodium 420 gL-1 SL was drip applied at rates of 147 and 295Lha-1 in plastic-mulched raised beds. Meth...

Ruth's golden aster (Pityopsis ruthii) is an endangered, herbaceous perennial that occurs only at a few sites along small reaches of the Hiwassee and Ocoee rivers in Polk County, Tennessee. This species has ornamental potential. In 2012, we vegetatively propagated various genotypes and established p...

Chemotaxonomy (secondary metabolite profiling) has been shown to be of great value in the classification and differentiation in Ascomycota. However, few studies have investigated the use of metabolite production for classification and identification purposes of plant pathogenic Alternaria species. The purpose of the present study was to describe the methodology behind metabolite profiling in chemotaxonomy using A. dauci, A. porri, A. solani, and A. tomatophila strains as examples of the group. The results confirmed that A. dauci, A. solani, and A. tomatophila are three distinct species each with their own specific metabolite profiles, and that A. solani and A. tomatophila both produce altersolanol A, altertoxin I, and macrosporin. By using automated chemical image analysis and other multivariate statistic analyses, three sets of species-specific metabolites could be selected, one each for A. dauci, A. solani, and A. tomatophila. PMID:18262401

Dickeya solani is an important bacterial pathogen of potato cultivars in Europe. Here, we present the draft genome of D. solani strain IFB0099 isolated from potato in Poland that shows a high level of pectinolytic activity and a high virulence. This genome sequence is 5,094,121 bp and contains 4,365 protein-coding sequences. PMID:25792047

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is the primary source of domestic sucrose in the United States. In 2011, a sugar beet field in Morrill County NE was noted with wilting and yellowing symptoms suggestive of Rhizoctonia root and crown rot (RCRR), an important disease of sugar beet caused by Rhizoctonia s...

Rhizoctonia spp. associated with rooibos in the Western Cape province of South Africa were recovered during the 2008 season by planting seedlings in rhizosphere soils collected from 14 rooibos nurseries. Seventy five Rhizoctonia isolates were obtained and 67 were multinucleate and 8 binucleate Rhiz...

Rhizoctonia web blight is an annual problem on container-grown azalea in the southern and eastern U.S., but little is documented about the distribution or persistence of Rhizoctonia in container-grown azalea. Sixty azalea plants (cv. >Gumpo White=) with greater than 35% web blight severity were coll...

The ability of a polyphenoloxidase, the laccase of the fungus Rhizoctonia praticola, to detoxify phenolic pollutants was examined. The growth of the fungus could be inhibited by phenolic compounds, and the effective concentration was dependent on the substituents of the phenol. A toxic amount of a phenolic compound was added to a fungal growth medium in the presence or absence of a naturally occurring phenol, and half of the replicates also received laccase. The medium was then inoculated with R. praticola, and the levels of phenols in the medium were monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The addition of the laccase reversed the inhibitory effect of 2,6-xylenol, 4-chloro-2-methylphenol, and p-cresol. Other compounds, e.g., o-cresol and 2,4-dichlorophenol, were detoxified only when laccase was used in conjunction with a natural phenol such as syringic acid. The toxicity of p-chlorophenol and 2,4,5-trichlorophenol could not be overcome by any additions. The ability of the laccase to alter the toxicity of the phenols appeared to be related to the capacity of the enzyme to decrease the levels of the parent compound by transformation or cross-coupling with another phenol.

The nonstarch polysaccharides (NSPs) in the total dietary fiber (TDF) from the sclerotia of Pleurotus tuber-regium (tiger milk mushroom) were fractionated by the sequential use of chemical solvents. About half of the TDF was solubilized and two major alkali-soluble fractions (1 and 4 N sodium hydroxide) that contained 126 and 293 g/kg TDF were obtained. Sugar analysis and infrared spectroscopy indicated that the NSPs in these alkali-soluble fractions were mainly beta-glucans and chitin. These alkali-soluble NSPs were further purified by anion-exchange chromatography followed by gel permeation chromatographic separation. Methylation analysis revealed that these purified glucans were highly branched and contained a mixture of sugar linkages of beta-1,3, beta-1,6, and beta-1,4. The potential use of these sclerotial beta-glucans as nutraceuticals was discussed. PMID:10956083

The purified (phospho)lipase of Fusarium solani (FSL), was known to be active on both triglycerides and phospholipids. This study aimed at assessing the potential of this enzyme in hydrolyzing galactolipids. FSL was found to hydrolyze at high rates of synthetic medium chains monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (4658±146U/mg on DiC8-MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (3785±83U/mg on DiC8-DGDG) and natural long chain monogalactosyldiacylglycerol extracted from leek leaves (991±85U/mg). It is the microbial enzyme with the highest activity on galactolipids identified so far with a level of activity comparable to that of pancreatic lipase-related protein 2. FSL maximum activity on galactolipids was measured at pH8. The analysis of the hydrolysis product of natural MGDG from leek showed that FSL hydrolyzes preferentially the ester bond at the sn-1 position of galactolipids. To investigate the structure-activity relationships of FSL, a 3D model of this enzyme was built. In silico docking of medium chains MGDG and DGDG and phospholipid in the active site of FSL reveals structural solutions which are in concordance with in vitro tests. PMID:25529980

Among the Nearctic species of Phenacoccus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), Phenacoccus solani Ferris and P. defectus Ferris are morphologically similar and it can be difficult to separate them on the basis of microscopic morphological characters of the adult female alone. In order to resolve their identity, a canonical variates morphological analysis of 199 specimens from different geographical origins and host plants and a molecular analysis of the COI and 28S genes were performed. The morphological analysis supported synonymy of the two species, as although the type specimens of the "species" are widely separated from each other in the canonical variates plot, they are all part of a continuous range of variation. The molecular analysis showed that P. solani and P. defectus are grouped in the same clade. On the basis of the morphological and molecular analyses, P. defectus is synonymized under the senior name P. solani, syn. n. PMID:27394512

AIM To investigate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) expression during the progress of fusarium solani (F.solani) keratitis in a rat model. METHODS A rat model of F.solani keratitis was produced using corneal scarification and a hand-made contact lens. MMPs and TIMPs expressiond were explored in this rat model of F.solani keratitis using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DIF. GM6001 (400 µmol/mL) was used to treat infected corneas. The keratitis duration, amount and area of corneal neovascularization (CNV) were evaluated. RESULTS MMP-3 expression was 66.3 times higher in infected corneas compared to normal corneas. MMP-8, -9, and -13 expressions were significantly upregulated in the mid-period of the infection, with infected-to-normal ratios of 4.03, 39.86, and 5.94, respectively. MMP-2 and -7 expressions increased in the late period, with the infected-to-normal ratios of 5.94 and 16.22, respectively. TIMP-1 expression was upregulated in the early period, and it was 43.17 times higher in infected compared to normal corneas, but TIMP-2, -3, and -4 expressions were mildly downregulated or unchanged. The results of DIF were consistent with the result of real-time PCR. GM6001, a MMPs inhibitor, decreased the duration of F.solani infection and the amount and area of CNV. CONCLUSION MMPs and TIMPs contributed into the progress of F.solani keratitis. PMID:27162721

Thirty beet accessions of either cultivated beet or sea beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris or Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima (L.) Arcang) from the Beta collection of the USDA-Agricultural Research Service National Plant Germplasm System were screened for resistance to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot ...

Binucelate Rhizoctonia spp. (BNR), the cause of web blight, are present all year on container-grown azaleas in the southern U.S. BNR can be eliminated during vegetative propagation by submerging stem cuttings in 50°C water for 21 minutes. The objective was to evaluate risk of rooting trays bein...

Aims: To simplify the determination of the nuclear condition of the pathogenic Rhizoctonia, which currently needs to be performed either using two fluorescent dyes, thus is more costly and time-consuming, or using only one fluorescent dye, and thus less accurate. Methods and Results: A red primary ...

In field trials done in nurseries, temperature was identified as the primary variable for predicting web blight development, caused by binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., on container-grown azaleas (Rhododendron spp.). Moisture, in the form of very low vapor pressure deficits, provided only a minor predict...

Spring shoot growth of azalea 'Gumpo White' used for propagation of stem cuttings can harbor binucleate Rhizoctonia species that cause web blight, thus the pathogen is unsuspectingly propagated with the plant. The objective of this study was to evaluate efficacy of disinfesting methods (commercially...

Rhizoctonia and Pythium species cause substantial reductions in yield in eastern Washington. Both organisms are common in agricultural soils; however, the specific species or anastomosis group (AG) present can vary from site to site. Due to a wide range in virulence among these different groups, t...

Populations of Rhizoctonia and Pythium are diverse in eastern Washington, with multiple species/anastomosis groups present throughout the region and within individual fields. Recent evidence suggests that species composition may be influenced by crop rotation. The Cook Agronomy Farm near Pullman, WA...

Populations of Rhizoctonia and Pythium are diverse in eastern Washington, with multiple species/anastomosis groups present throughout the region and within individual fields. The process of identifying the pathogen present in a sample is laborious and the high diversity increases the difficulty in a...

Fungicides are the only approach currently used to control Rhizoctonia web blight on container-grown azalea. The most reliable criterion for timing fungicides has been a fixed calendar date with adjustment for year-to-year differences in disease progression made by monitoring early-season increase o...

During 2009 and 2010, 45 isolates of Rhizoctonia spp. were recovered from onion bulb crops in the semi-arid Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington, in which patches of severely stunted onion plants developed following rotation with winter cereal cover crops. Characterization of isolates recovered f...

Thirty-six sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) germplasm from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service pre-breeding program at Fort Collins, Colorado were screened for resistance to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) at the Colorado State University ARDEC facility in Fort Collins, CO. There...

The negative impact of Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) on postharvest respiration, sugar concentration, and beet quality for roots with disease ratings of 2 or 3 is relatively small and would have only a small, and maybe immeasurable, effect on factory efficiency when mixed with healthy roots....

Early blight of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), caused by the foliar fungal pathogen Alternaria solani is a major cause of economic loss in many potato growing regions. Genetic resistance offers an opportunity to decrease fungicide usage while maintaining yield and quality. In this study, an early bl...

Analysis of the gut of a wood-boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) revealed that a fungal species, Fusarium solani, is consistently associated with the larval stage of this insect. Previous work demonstrated that larval guts collected from a variety of geographically di...

Corneal ulcera in patients treated at the University Hospital Cali, Colombia have been attributed to the fungus Fusarium solani, which was isolated from patients' eyes by deep scraping. The fungus, which was characterized by culture and morphology, was found to grow well at 37 degrees C in Sabouraud and potato dextrose agars and in liquid asparagine medium, in which it produced very few spores; at 40 degrees C, it survived for 3 weeks. Different levels of pathogenicity were shown by the fungus when 3-week-old bean, corn, and tomato plants were inoculated. Controlled experiments in which an inoculum of F. solani was instilled in rabbit eyes were also carried out; it evoked a clinical reaction producing irritation and erythema. The F. solani isolated from eyes was the same species as that isolated by an agar plate method with Fusarium-selective medium from sugar cane, bean, tomato, or corn fields throughout December 1976 to November 1977. Nonfarming areas and urban sites were also air sampled, but only a few (less than 1%) colonies of F. solani were isolated at one of four sites. A preliminary attempt to identify the physiologically active substance of the fungus was carried out through chemical extraction, thin-layer chromatography, and ultraviolet and infrared spectra analysis. Images PMID:7217337

The resistance phenotypes of two potato cultivars to two isolates of Alternaria solani, causal agent of early blight, were studied under greenhouse conditions. The two isolates contain varying degrees of aggressiveness on both susceptible and resistant phenotypes of potatoes. A bioassay was used to ...

Culture-independent analysis of the gut of a wood-boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) revealed that a fungal species, Fusarium solani, is consistently associated with the larval stage of this insect. Using the translation elongation factor 1-alpha region for phylogene...

A field experiment was conducted in 2007 in a field at the ARS Palouse Conservation Farm with a high level of both R. solani and R. oryzae. Volunteer and weeds were allowed to grow over the winter, and plots were sprayed out with Roundup at 8 wks, 6 wks, 4 wks, 2 wks, 1 wk, and 2 days before plantin...

Fungal keratitis is a common disease that causes blindness. An effective animal model for fungal keratitis is essential for advancing research on this disease. Our objective is to develop a novel mouse model of Fusarium solani keratitis through the inoculation of fluorescent-labeled fungi into the cornea to facilitate the accurate and early identification and screening of fungal infections. F. solani was used as the model fungus in this study. In in vitro experiment, the effects of Calcofluor White (CFW) staining concentration and duration on the fluorescence intensity of F. solani were determined through the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI); the effects of CFW staining on the growth of F. solani were determined by the colony diameter. In in vivo experiment, the F. solani keratitis mice were induced and divided into a CFW-unlabeled and CFW-labeled groups. The positive rate, corneal lesion score and several positive rate determination methods were measured. The MFIs of F. solani in the 30 μg/ml CFW-30 min, 90 μg/ml CFW-10 min and 90 μg/ml CFW-30 min groups were higher than that in the 10 μg/ml CFW-10 min group (P 0.05). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed for the positive rate or the corneal lesion scores between the CFW-unlabeled and the CFW-labeled group. On day 1 and 2, the positive rates of the infected corneas in the scraping group were lower than those in the fluorescence microscopy group (P 0.05). Thus, these experiments established a novel murine model of F. solani keratitis utilizing fluorescent labeled fungi. This model

'Candidatus Phytoplasma solani' is a phytoplasma of the stolbur group (16SrXII subgroup A) that is associated with 'Bois noir' and causes heavy damage to the quality and quantity of grapevine yields in several European countries, and particularly in the Mediterranean area. Analysis of 'Ca. P. solani' genetic diversity was carried out for strains infecting a cv. 'Chardonnay' vineyard, through multilocus sequence typing analysis for the vmp1, stamp and secY genes. Several types per gene were detected: seven out of 20 types for vmp1, six out of 17 for stamp, and four out of 16 for secY. High correlations were seen among the vmp1, stamp and secY typing with the tuf typing. However, no correlations were seen among the tuf and vmp1 types and the Bois noir severity in the surveyed grapevines. Grouping the 'Ca. P. solani' sequences on the basis of their origins (i.e., study vineyard, Italian regions, Euro-Mediterranean countries), dN/dS ratio analysis revealed overall positive selection for stamp (3.99, P=0.019) and vmp1 (2.28, P=0.001). For secY, the dN/dS ratio was 1.02 (P=0.841), showing neutral selection across this gene. Using analysis of the nucleotide sequencing by a Bayesian approach, we determined the population structure of 'Ca. P. solani', which appears to be structured in 3, 5 and 6 subpopulations, according to the secY, stamp and vmp1 genes, respectively. The high genetic diversity of 'Ca. P. solani' from a single vineyard reflects the population structure across wider geographical scales. This information is useful to trace inoculum source and movement of pathogen strains at the local level and over long distances. PMID:25660034

Two new lanostane-type triterpenoids, inonotsuoxides A (1) and B (2) along with three known lanostane-type triterpenoids, inotodiol (3), trametenolic acid (4), and lanosterol (5), were isolated from the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.) (Japanese name: Kabanoanakake) (Russian name: Chaga). Their structures were determined to be 22R,25-epoxylanost-8-ene-3beta,24S-diol (1) and 22S,25-epoxylanost-8-ene-3beta,24S-diol (2) on the basis of spectral data including single crystal X-ray analysis. These compounds except for 2 were tested for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), as a test for potential cancer chemopreventive agents. The most abundant triterpene, inotodiol (3), was investigated for the inhibitory effect in a two-stage carcinogenesis test on mouse skin using 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) as an initiator and TPA as a promoter. Compound 3 was found to exhibit the potent anti-tumor promoting activity in the in vivo carcinogenesis test. PMID:17049251

The Lignosus is a genus of fungi that have useful medicinal properties. In Southeast Asia, three species of Lignosus (locally known collectively as Tiger milk mushrooms) have been reported including L. tigris, L. rhinocerotis, and L. cameronensis. All three have been used as important medicinal mushrooms by the natives of Peninsular Malaysia. In this work, the nutritional composition and antioxidant activities of the wild type and a cultivated strain of L. tigris sclerotial extracts were investigated. The sclerotia are rich in carbohydrates with moderate amount of protein and low fat content. Free radical scavenging activities of L. tigris sclerotial extracts correlate with their phenolic content, which ranges from 6.25 to 45.42 mg GAE/g extract. The FRAP values ranged from 0.002 to 0.041 mmol/min/g extract, while the DPPH(•), ABTS(•+), and superoxide anion (SOA) scavenging activities ranged from 0.18 to 2.53, 0.01 to 0.36, and -4.53 to 10.05 mmol Trolox equivalents/g extract, respectively. L. tigris cultivar shows good prospect to be developed into functional food due to its good nutritional value and potent SOA scavenging activity. PMID:24782649

The Lignosus is a genus of fungi that have useful medicinal properties. In Southeast Asia, three species of Lignosus (locally known collectively as Tiger milk mushrooms) have been reported including L. tigris, L. rhinocerotis, and L. cameronensis. All three have been used as important medicinal mushrooms by the natives of Peninsular Malaysia. In this work, the nutritional composition and antioxidant activities of the wild type and a cultivated strain of L. tigris sclerotial extracts were investigated. The sclerotia are rich in carbohydrates with moderate amount of protein and low fat content. Free radical scavenging activities of L. tigris sclerotial extracts correlate with their phenolic content, which ranges from 6.25 to 45.42 mg GAE/g extract. The FRAP values ranged from 0.002 to 0.041 mmol/min/g extract, while the DPPH•, ABTS•+, and superoxide anion (SOA) scavenging activities ranged from 0.18 to 2.53, 0.01 to 0.36, and -4.53 to 10.05 mmol Trolox equivalents/g extract, respectively. L. tigris cultivar shows good prospect to be developed into functional food due to its good nutritional value and potent SOA scavenging activity. PMID:24782649

Rhizoctonia web blight, caused by binucleate Rhizoctonia spp., is an annual problem in the southern United States on container-grown azaleas (Rhododendron spp.) that receive daily irrigation. Fungicides are the only practical control method, but a guideline for timing of fungicides is not available....

The in vitro mineral binding capacity of three novel dietary fibers (DFs) prepared from mushroom sclerotia, namely, Pleurotus tuber-regium, Polyporous rhinocerus, and Wolfiporia cocos, to Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe, and Zn under sequential simulated physiological conditions of the human stomach, small intestine, and colon was investigated and compared. Apart from releasing most of their endogenous Ca (ranged from 96.9 to 97.9% removal) and Mg (ranged from 95.9 to 96.7% removal), simulated physiological conditions of the stomach also attenuated the possible adverse binding effect of the three sclerotial DFs to the exogenous minerals by lowering their cation-exchange capacity (ranged from 20.8 to 32.3%) and removing a substantial amount of their potential mineral chelators including protein (ranged from 16.2 to 37.8%) and phytate (ranged from 58.5 to 64.2%). The in vitro mineral binding capacity of the three sclerotial DF under simulated physiological conditions of small intestine was found to be low, especially for Ca (ranged from 4.79 to 5.91% binding) and Mg (ranged from 3.16 to 4.18% binding), and was highly correlated (r > 0.97) with their residual protein contents. Under simulated physiological conditions of the colon with slightly acidic pH (5.80), only bound Ca was readily released (ranged from 34.2 to 72.3% releasing) from the three sclerotial DFs, and their potential enhancing effect on passive Ca absorption in the human large intestine was also discussed. PMID:16302754

Fusarium is a ubiquitous fungus that commonly colonizes ulcerated, burned, or traumatized skin and may cause keratitis and onychomycosis in healthy hosts. Serious disseminated infection due to Fusarium has been reported with increasing frequency in immunocompromised patients. We describe a bone marrow transplant patient who developed fungal septicemia and disseminated skin nodules due to Fusarium solani. Fusarium should be recognized as a potential cause of deep fungal infection in immunocompromised patients. PMID:3069758

Fusarium solani was reported as the agent of a cutaneous infection in an injured sea turtle collected in the Mediterranean Sea. The turtle was treated with both a topical 10% solution of iodine in alcohol and ketoconazole. The source of the causal agent was traced to the sand in the tank in which the turtle was maintained. The strain was only sensitive in vitro to amphotericin B and was resistant to 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole. PMID:9399554

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) is a kind of mountain herbs whose roots have restorative properties and the cultivating acreage of balloon flower has been steadily increasing in Korea. More frequent rain and high amount of rainfalls as a result of climate changes predisposed balloon flower to the outbreaks of root rot at high-density cultivation area in recent years. Root crowns were usually discolored into brown to blackish brown at first and the infected plants showed slight wilting symptom at early infection stage. Severely infected roots were entirely rotted and whole plants eventually died at late infection stage. The overall disease severities of root rot of balloon flower were quite variable according to the surveyed fields in Jeonnam, Gyeongnam and Jeju Provinces, which ranged from 0.1% to 40%. The root rot occurred more severely at the paddy or clay soils than the sandy soils and their severities were much higher at lowland than upland in the same localty. The disease increased with aging of the balloon flower. The causal fungi were identified as Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum on the basis of their mycological characteristics. The optimum temperature ranges of their mycelial growths was found to be 24°C. The pathogenic characters of F. solani and F. oxysporum treated by artificial wounding inoculation on healthy roots of balloon flower revealed that F. solani was more virulent than F. oxysporum. This study identified the causal agents of root rot of balloon flower as Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum, probably for the first time. PMID:25288973

An experiment was conducted on the USDA-ARS Palouse Conservation Field Station north of Pullman, WA on a Thatuna silt loam, pH 5.9 and 3.86 % O.M. The site was naturally infested with both R. solani AG-8 and R. oryzae, based on previous tests. No-till plots were direct-seeded with spring wheat in 20...

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of osmotic and matric stress on germination and growth of two Fusarium solani strains, the etiological agent responsible of peanut brown root rot. Both strains had similar osmotic and matric potential ranges that allowed growth, being the latter one narrower. F. solani showed the ability to grow down to -14 MPa at 25 °C in non-ionic modified osmotic medium, while under matric stress this was limited to -8.4 MPa at 25 °C. However, both strains were seen to respond differently to decreasing osmotic and matric potentials, during early stages of germination. One strain (RC 338) showed to be more sensitive to matric than osmotic (non ionic) and the other one (RC 386) showed to be more sensitive to osmotic than matric imposed water stress. After 24 h of incubation, both isolates behaved similarly. The minimum water potential for germination was -8.4 MPa on glycerol amended media and -5.6 MPa for NaCl and PEG amended media, respectively. The knowledge of the water potential range which allow mycelia growth and spore germination of F. solani provides an inside to the likely behaviour of this devastating soilborne plant pathogen in nature and has important practical implications. PMID:25477950

Studies were conducted to determine the effect of osmotic and matric stress on germination and growth of two Fusarium solani strains, the etiological agent responsible of peanut brown root rot. Both strains had similar osmotic and matric potential ranges that allowed growth, being the latter one narrower. F. solani showed the ability to grow down to −14 MPa at 25 °C in non-ionic modified osmotic medium, while under matric stress this was limited to −8.4 MPa at 25 °C. However, both strains were seen to respond differently to decreasing osmotic and matric potentials, during early stages of germination. One strain (RC 338) showed to be more sensitive to matric than osmotic (non ionic) and the other one (RC 386) showed to be more sensitive to osmotic than matric imposed water stress. After 24 h of incubation, both isolates behaved similarly. The minimum water potential for germination was −8.4 MPa on glycerol amended media and −5.6 MPa for NaCl and PEG amended media, respectively. The knowledge of the water potential range which allow mycelia growth and spore germination of F. solani provides an inside to the likely behaviour of this devastating soilborne plant pathogen in nature and has important practical implications. PMID:25477950

Glutathione S-transferases (GST) play an important role in the detoxification of many substances including allelochemicals from plants. Brassicaceae plants contain glucosinolates and emit volatile isothiocyanates which affect the GST system. A comparison of the GST of two aphid species, the generalist Aulacorthum solani found on Brassicaceae and the Fabaceae specialist Acyrthosiphon pisum, was made to try to explain their respective feeding behaviour. Differences of GST were determined among the two aphid species based on purification by affinity chromatography, SDS-PAGE and on kinetic studies. Purification yields using an epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B column were highly different for the two aphid species (18% and 34% for A. solani and A. pisum, respectively). These variations were confirmed by SDS-PAGE. While only a 27-kDa band was observed for A. pisum, two bands of approximately 25-kDa were visualized for the generalist aphid, A. solani. Considering the kinetic results, differences of Km and Vmax were observed following the aphid species when a range of substrates (CDNB and DCNB) and GSH concentrations were tested. Studies on the detoxification enzymes of generalist and specialist herbivores would be undertaken to determine accurately the effect of the host plant on the organisms eating them, particularly in terms of biochemical and ecological advantages. PMID:11337260

An actively antagonistic bacterium that could be used as a biocontrol agent against Fusarium solani, which causes root rots with considerable losses in many important crops, was isolated from a ginseng rhizosphere and identified as a strain of Pseudomonas stutzeri. In several biochemical tests with culture filtrates of P. stutzeri YPL-1 and in mutational analyses of antifungal activities of reinforced or defective mutants, we found that the anti-F. solani mechanism of the bacterium may involve a lytic enzyme rather than a toxic substance or antibiotic. P. stutzeri YPL-1 produced extracellular chitinase and laminarinase when grown on different polymers such as chitin, laminarin, or F. solani mycelium. These lytic extracellular enzymes markedly inhibited mycelial growth rather than spore germination and also caused lysis of F. solani mycelia and germ tubes. Scanning electron microscopy revealed degradation of the F. solani mycelium. Abnormal hyphal swelling and retreating were caused by the lysing agents from P. stutzeri YPL-1, and a penetration hole was formed on the hyphae in the region of interaction with the bacterium; the walls of this region were rapidly lysed, causing leakage of protoplasm. Genetically bred P. stutzeri YPL-1 was obtained by transformation of the bacterium with a broad-host-range vector, pKT230. Also, the best conditions for the transformation were investigated. Images PMID:16348417

Foxglove aphid, Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has recently undergone a status change from an occasional pest to a serious pest in greenhouses of North America and the United Kingdom. Little nonanecdotal information exists on the ecology of this insect in greenhouse crops. To help improve integrated pest management decisions for A. solani, the within-plant distribution of this pest was explored on a variety of common greenhouse plants in both the vegetative and flowering stage. This aphid generally was found on lower leaves of vegetative plants, but was found higher in the canopy on reproductive plants (on flowers, flower buds, or upper leaves). Aphid numbers were not consistently positively correlated with total leaf surface areas within plant strata across plant species. Thus, the observed differences in preferred feeding sites on vegetative versus flowering plants are possibly a response to differences in nutritional quality of the various host-plant tissues. Despite being anecdotally described as a "stem-feeding aphid," A. solani was rarely found feeding on stems at the population densities established in our tests, with the exception of racemes of scarlet sage (Salvia splendans). Although some previous reports suggested that A. solani prefers to feed on new growth of plants, our results indicate that mature leaves are preferred over growing tips and young leaves. The implications of the within-plant feeding preferences of A. solani populations with respect to both biological and chemical control are discussed. PMID:24772552

Rhizoctonia cerealis, the causal agent of sharp eyespot on wheat, was not considered to be an important pathogen for many years. Recently, the disease has become endemic in many countries except for South America. The disease has created a new threat to world wheat production because the damage of wheat sharp eyespot has become increasingly severe. In this paper, previous studies on this pathogen, including the disease geographical distribution, pathogen identification, life cycle, symptoms, favourable environmental conditions, effects on wheat yield and control strategy, are reviewed. Such information will be helpful in management of sharp eyespot. PMID:21726039

Two of five scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) captured May 1987 in Hawaii (USA) developed granulomatous exudative mycotic dermatitis localized in the lateral line canal system. The lesion initially was noted in the cephalic canals, but over a period of months extended into the lateral canal. Fusarium solani and Vibrio spp. were isolated from the canal exudate of both sharks. Bacterial colonies were not observed in the canal walls or surrounding tissues. Fusarium solani infection resulted in a chronic physical and behavioral deterioration of the two sharks; one shark was euthanized in September 1988 and the other in July 1989. This is the first report of Fusarium solani infection in the lateral line canal system and the third account in hammerhead sharks. PMID:8592393

A split-root technique was used to examine the interaction between Pratylenchus penetrans and the cortical root-rotting pathogen Rhizoctonia fragariae in strawberry black root rot. Plants inoculated with both pathogens on the same half of a split-root crown had greater levels of root rot than plants inoculated separately or with either pathogen alone. Isolation of R. fragariae from field-grown roots differed with root type and time of sampling. Fungal infection of structural roots was low until fruiting, whereas perennial root colonization was high. Isolation of R. fragariae from feeder roots was variable, but was greater from feeder roots on perennial than from structural roots. Isolation of the fungus was greater from structural roots with nematode lesions than from non-symptomatic roots. Rhizoctonia fragariae was a common resident on the sloughed cortex of healthy perennial roots. From this source, the fungus may infect additional roots. The direct effects of lesion nematode feeding and movement are cortical cell damage and death. Indirect effects include discoloration of the endodermis and early polyderm formation. Perhaps weakened or dying cells caused directly or indirectly by P. penetrans are more susceptible to R. fragariae, leading to increased disease. PMID:19265969

Several species of fungi and oomycetes including Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora and Pythium have been reported as root pathogens of apple where they contribute to a phenomenon known as apple replant disease. In South Africa, very little is known about the specific species in these genera and th...

Thirty-six sugar beet (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) germplasm from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service pre-breeding program at Fort Collins, Colorado were screened for resistance to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (RCRR) at the Colorado State University ARDEC facility in Fort Collins, CO. There...

Rhizoctonia leguminicola, the causal agent of blackpatch of red clover, produces alkaloids that cause livestock to salivate excessively. Its presence is generally confirmed by microscopy, disappearance of symptoms after removal of the suspect forage, and chromatographic analysis of slaframine in ext...

Mycorrhizal association is known to be important to orchid species, and a complete understanding of the fungi that form mycorrhizas is required for orchid ecology and conservation. Liparis japonica (Orchidaceae) is a widespread terrestrial photosynthetic orchid in Northeast China. Previously, we found the genetic diversity of this species has been reduced recent years due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, but little was known about the relationship between this orchid species and the mycorrhizal fungi. The Rhizoctonia-like fungi are the commonly accepted mycorrhizal fungi associated with orchids. In this study, the distribution, diversity and specificity of culturable Rhizoctonia-like fungi associated with L. japonica species were investigated from seven populations in Northeast China. Among the 201 endophytic fungal isolates obtained, 86 Rhizoctonia-like fungi were identified based on morphological characters and molecular methods, and the ITS sequences and phylogenetic analysis revealed that all these Rhizoctonia-like fungi fell in the same main clade and were closely related to those of Tulasnella calospora species group. These findings indicated the high mycorrhizal specificity existed in L. japonica species regardless of habitats at least in Northeast China. Our results also supported the wide distribution of this fungal partner, and implied that the decline of L. japonica in Northeast China did not result from high mycorrhizal specificity. Using culture-dependent technology, these mycorrhizal fungal isolates might be important sources for the further utilizing in orchids conservation. PMID:25140872

Binucelate Rhizoctonia sp. (BNR), the cause of web blight, can be spread on azalea stem cuttings into propagation houses, but can be eliminated from stems by submerging cuttings in 50°C water for 21 minutes. The overall objective was to evaluate risk of rooting cuttings in trays becoming contaminate...

The association of Rhizoctonia spp. with insect-damaged and diseased tissue of the invasive perennial Lepidium draba was documented throughout the range of L. draba that was surveyed in Europe, including Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and France. Samples that could be both maintained under cooled con...

Thirty-nine beet sugar beet breeding lines (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service breeding program at Fort Collins, CO, were screened for resistance to Rhizoctonia crown and root rot (Rcrr) at the Colorado State University ARDEC facility in Fort Collins, CO. The...

Pseudomonas CMR12a was previously selected as an efficient biocontrol strain producing phenazines and cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs). In this study, biocontrol capacity of Pseudomonas CMR12a against Rhizoctonia root rot of bean and the involvement of phenazines and CLPs in this ability were tested. Two ...

Rhizoctonia leguminicola Gough and E.S. Elliott is a widely used name for the causal agent of blackpatch disease of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), which infects other legumes as well. This fungal pathogen produces alkaloids (slaframine and swainsonine) that affect grazing mammals. Slaframine ca...

Fusarium species are common soil saprophytes and plant pathogens that have been frequently reported as etiologic agents of opportunistic infections in humans. We report eight cases of onychomycosis caused by Fusarium solani (4) and Fusarium oxysporum (4) in São Paulo, Brazil. These species were isolated from toenails in all cases. The infections were initially considered to be caused by dermatophytes. The clinical appearance of the affected toenails was leukonychia or distal subungual hyperkeratosis with yellowish brown coloration. The eight cases reported here suggest that Fusarium spp. should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of tinea unguium. PMID:15180157

Ethanolic extract of a non-camptothecin producing plant, Catharanthus roseus when added in the suspension culture of the endophyte Fusarium solani known to produce camptothecin, resulted in enhanced production of camptothecin by 10.6-fold in comparison to that in control (2.8 μg/L). Interestingly, addition of pure ethanol (up to 5% v/v) in the suspension culture of F. solani resulted in maximum enhancement in camptothecin production (up to 15.5-fold) from that obtained in control. In the presence of ethanol, a reduced glucose uptake (by ∼ 40%) and simultaneous ethanol consumption (up to 9.43 g/L) was observed during the cultivation period (14 days). Also, the total NAD level and the protein content in the biomass increased by 3.7- and 1.9-fold, respectively, in comparison to that in control. The study indicates a dual role of ethanol, presumably as an elicitor and also as a carbon/energy source, leading to enhanced biomass and camptothecin production. PMID:25603728

Several cyanide-tolerant microorganisms have been selected from alkaline wastes and soils contaminated with cyanide. Among them, a fungus identified as Fusarium solani IHEM 8026 shows a good potential for cyanide biodegradation under alkaline conditions (pH 9.2 to 10.7). Results of K(sup14)CN biodegradation studies show that fungal metabolism seems to proceed by a two-step hydrolytic mechanism: (i) the first reaction involves the conversion of cyanide to formamide by a cyanide-hydrolyzing enzyme, cyanide hydratase (EC 4.2.1.66); and (ii) the second reaction consists of the conversion of formamide to formate, which is associated with fungal growth. No growth occurred during the first step of cyanide degradation, suggesting that cyanide is toxic to some degree even in cyanide-degrading microorganisms, such as F. solani. The presence of organic nutrients in the medium has a major influence on the occurrence of the second step. Addition of small amounts of yeast extract led to fungal growth, whereas no growth was observed in media containing cyanide as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. The simple hydrolytic detoxification pathway identified in the present study could be used for the treatment of many industrial alkaline effluents and wastes containing free cyanide without a prior acidification step, thus limiting the risk of cyanhydric acid volatilization; this should be of great interest from an environmental and health point of view. PMID:16535647

As organosulfur and organophosphorus agents, phaltane and phosmet are facing great challenges for the environmental contamination, mammalian toxicity and increasing resistance with long term use. It is efficient and meaningful to develop phthalimide-based alternatives with non-sulfur and non-phosphorus groups. A series of N-substituted phthalimides were synthesized and their antifungal activity against two disastrous phytopathogenic fungi, Alternaria solani and Botrytis cinerea was evaluated in vitro. Most of them showed significant antifungal activity against both of fungi, or either of them selectively. N-vinylphthalimide (4) and 8-[4-(phthalimide-2-yl) butyloxy] quinoline (13) were identified as the most promising candidates against B. cinerea and A. solani with the IC50 values of 7.92 μg/mL and 10.85 μg/mL respectively. The brief structure-activity relationships have revealed that vinyl, quinolyl, bromide alkyl and benzyl substitutions were appropriate substituents and coupling functional moieties indirectly with optimum alkyl chain was efficient to prepare phthalimides related fungicides. PMID:27079471

Bacillus species have recently drawn attention due to their potential use in the biological control of fungal diseases. This paper reports on the antifungal activity of novel peptides isolated from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PT14. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that B. amyloliquefaciens PT14 produces five peptides (PT14-1, -2, -3, -4a, and -4b) that exhibit antifungal activity but are inactive against bacterial strains. In particular, PT14-3 and PT14-4a showed broad-spectrum antifungal activity against Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum. The PT14-4a N-terminal amino acid sequence was identified through Edman degradation, and a BLAST homology analysis showed it not to be identical to any other protein or peptide. PT14-4a displayed strong fungicidal activity with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 3.12 mg/L (F. solani) and 6.25 mg/L (F. oxysporum), inducing severe morphological deformation in the conidia and hyphae. On the other hand, PT14-4a had no detectable hemolytic activity. This suggests PT14-4a has the potential to serve as an antifungal agent in clinical therapeutic and crop-protection applications. PMID:26496638

Neutropenic patients are at risk of the development of hyalohyphomycosis and mucormycosis. Correct identification is essential for the initiation of the specific treatment, but concomitant mold infections are rarely reported. We report one unprecedented case of concomitant mucormycosis and fusariosis in a neutropenic patient with acute myeloid leukemia. The patient developed rhino-orbital infection by Rhizopus arrhizus and disseminated infection by Fusarium solani. The first culture from a sinus biopsy grew Rhizopus, which was consistent with the histopathology report of mucormycosis. A second sinus biopsy collected later during the patient's clinical deterioration was reported as hyalohyphomycosis, and the culture yielded F. solani. Due to the discordant reports, the second biopsy was reviewed and two hyphae types suggestive of both hyalohyphomycetes and mucormycetes were found. The dual mold infection was confirmed by PCR assays from paraffinized tissue sections. Increased awareness of the existence of dual mold infections in at-risk patients is necessary. PCR methods in tissue sections may increase the diagnosis of dual mold infections. In case of sequential biopsies showing discrepant results, mixed infections have to be suspected. PMID:26346377

Solanapyrone A is a polyketide-derived metabolite produced by Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria solani, which are the most destructive necrotrophic pathogens of chickpea and potato/tomato, respectively. They belong to the Order Pleosporales within the Class Dothideomycetes, but are phylogenetically di...

Tracheoesophageal vocal prostheses (TVP) in laryngectomized patients commonly deteriorate due to overgrowth by yeasts, particularly Candida species. We describe the first case of colonization of such devices by a member of the Fusarium solani species complex in a patient with a history of glottal carcinoma. Three isolates, from three prostheses, were found morphologically consistent with the traditional picture of F. solani. Ribosomal sequence analysis showed that the isolates belonged to a distinct, as yet apparently unnamed phylogenetic species within the F. solani species complex. This species, one of two distinct genetic types (genotype 2) traditionally considered part of the plant-pathogenic subtaxon Fusarium solani f. sp. radicicola, has not previously been identified as an agent of human or animal disease, although it is closely related to a known etiologic agent of mycetoma, an Acremonium-like species recently renamed Fusarium falciforme. Sequence and multisatellite M13 polymorphism analysis revealed no distinctions among the case isolates. Production of cyclosporine was detected for all three case isolates. PMID:15695678

Bacillus subtilis SPB1 lipopeptides were evaluated as a natural antifungal agent against Fusarium solani infestation. In vitro antifungal assay showed a minimal inhibitory concentration of about 3 mg/ml with a fungicidal mode of action. In fact, treatment of F. solani by SPB1 lipopeptides generated excessive lyses of the mycelium and caused polynucleation and destruction of the related spores together with a total inhibition of spore production. Furthermore, an inhibition of germination potency accompanied with a high spore blowing was observed. Moreover, in order to be applied in agricultural field, in vivo antifungal activity was proved against the dry rot potato tubers caused by F. solani. Preventive treatment appeared as the most promising as after 20 days of fungi inoculation, rot invasion was reduced by almost 78%, in comparison to that of non-treated one. When treating infected tomato plants, disease symptoms were reduced by almost 100% when applying the curative method. Results of this study are very promising as it enables the use of the crude lipopeptide preparation of B. subtilis SPB1 as a potent natural fungicide that could effectively control the infection of F. solani in tomato and potato tubers at a concentration similar to the commercial fungicide hymexazol and therefore prevent the damage of olive tree. PMID:26178831

Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria solani, causal agents of chickpea and potato blights respectively, produce the same phytotoxin solanapyrone A (SolA).The toxicity of SolA to plants has been documented, but its role in pathogenicity has not been investigated. In this study, we generated solanapyrone-d...

AIM To evaluate the antimicrobial properties of ultraviolet A (UVA) (365 nm)/riboflavin against Candida albicans and Fusarium solani. METHODS Two fungus isolates were cultured in vitro and prepared with 10-fold serial PBS dilutions of cell concentration. For each dilution of fungus suspension, the concentration (colony-forming units/mL, CFU/mL) and the inactivation ratio of fungal cells were evaluated under 4 conditions: no treatment (control), UVA (365 nm)/riboflavin, riboflavin, and UVA (365 nm). RESULTS The cell concentration decreased in UVA (365 nm)/riboflavin group for Candida albicans at each dilution and Fusarium solani at dilutions of 104, 103, 102 CFU/mL, when compared with that in control, riboflavin, and UVA (365 nm) groups (P<0.01). No difference of cell concentration was detected amongst the culture of control, riboflavin, and UVA (365 nm) groups for the two fungus. There is a negative correlation between suspension concentration (log-transformed) and the inactivation ratio in UVA (365 nm)/riboflavin group for Candida albicans and Fusarium solani (P<0.01). CONCLUSION According to the standard protocol of corneal collagen cross-linking, UVA (365 nm)/riboflavin combination treatment is found to moderately inactivate the viability of Candida albicans and Fusarium solani in vitro. The inactivation ratio was found to increase with the decrease of cell concentration under UVA (365 nm)/riboflavin condition. PMID:24790859

Members of the species-rich Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are responsible for approximately two-thirds all fusarioses of humans and other animals. In addition, many economically important phytopathogenic species are nested within this complex. Due to their increasing clinical relevance an...

Early blight, caused by Alternaria solani, is an economically important foliar disease of potato in several production areas of the United States. Few potato cultivars possess resistance to early blight, therefore, the application of fungicides is a primary means of achieving disease control. Previo...

Members of the species-rich Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are responsible for approximately two-thirds all fusarioses of humans and other animals. In addition, many economically important phytopathogenic species are nested within this complex. Due to their increasing clinical relevance an...

The Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) is a monophyletic group comprising dozens of phylogenetic and biological species, and represents the most common species complex associated with fusarial infections of mammals, particularly mycotic keratitis. Previous work found that approximately 75% of k...

The Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) is a highly diverse, cosmopolitan group of fungi that occur in soil and on living and dead plant tissue and can cause both human and plant infections. This monophyletic group was previously divided into three clades with some biogeographic structure, terme...

Fusarium virguliforme (syn. F. solani f. sp. glycines), a soil-borne fungus, is the causal agent of soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS), one of the most important diseases of soybean. Lignin degradation is not common in most soilborne fungi which are considered to be cellulose degraders only. In thi...

ABSTRACT The soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines, and the fungus that causes sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean, Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines, frequently co-infest soybean (Glycine max) fields. The interactions between H. glycines and F. solani f. sp. glycines were investigated in factorial greenhouse experiments with different inoculum levels of both organisms on a soybean cultivar susceptible to both pathogens. Measured responses included root and shoot dry weights, H. glycines reproduction, area under the SDS disease progress curve, and fungal colonization of roots. Both H. glycines and F. solani f. sp. glycines reduced the growth of soybeans. Reproduction of H. glycines was suppressed by high inoculum levels but not by low levels of F. solani f. sp. glycines. The infection of soybean roots by H. glycines did not affect root colonization by the fungus, as determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Although both pathogens reduced the growth of soybeans, H. glycines did not increase SDS foliar symptoms, and statistical interactions between the two pathogens were seldom significant. PMID:18943675

Crown disease (CD) is infecting oil palm in the early stages of the crop development. Previous studies showed that Fusarium species were commonly associated with CD. However, the identity of the species has not been resolved. This study was carried out to identify and characterize through morphological approaches and to determine the genetic diversity of the Fusarium species. 51 isolates (39%) of Fusarium solani and 40 isolates (31%) of Fusarium oxysporum were recovered from oil palm with typical CD symptoms collected from nine states in Malaysia, together with samples from Padang and Medan, Indonesia. Based on morphological characteristics, isolates in both Fusarium species were classified into two distinct morphotypes; Morphotypes I and II. Molecular characterization based on IGS-RFLP analysis produced 27 haplotypes among the F. solani isolates and 33 haplotypes for F. oxysporum isolates, which indicated high levels of intraspecific variations. From UPGMA cluster analysis, the isolates in both Fusarium species were divided into two main clusters with the percentage of similarity from 87% to 100% for F. solani, and 89% to 100% for F. oxysporum isolates, which was in accordance with the Morphotypes I and II. The results of the present study indicated that F. solani and F. oxysporum associated with CD of oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia were highly variable. PMID:24516465

The medicinal effects and techniques for cultivating Anoectochilus formosanus are well-documented, but little is known about the mycorrhizal fungi associated with A. formosanus. Rhizoctonia (Thanatephorus) anastomosis group 6 (AG-6) was the most common species isolated from fungal pelotons in native A. formosanus and represented 67% of the sample. Rhizoctonia (Ceratobasidium) AG-G, P, and R were also isolated and represent the first occurrence in the Orchidaceae. Isolates of AG-6, AG-R, and AG-P in clade I increased seed germination 44-91% and promoted protocorm growth from phases III to VI compared to asymbiotic treatments and isolates of AG-G in clade II and Tulasnella species in clade III. All isolates in clades I to III formed fungal pelotons in tissue-cultured seedlings of A. formosanus, which exhibited significantly greater growth than nonmycorrhizal seedlings. An analysis of the relative effect of treatment ([Formula: see text]) showed that the low level of colonization ([Formula: see text]) by isolates in clade I resulted in a significant increase in seedling growth compared to isolates in clades II (0.63-0.82) and III (0.63-0.75). There was also a negative correlation (r = -0.8801) with fresh plant weight and fungal colonization. Our results suggest that isolates in clade I may represent an important group associated with native populations of A. formosanus and can vary in their ability to establish a symbiotic association with A. formosanus. The results presented here are potentially useful for advancing research on the medicinal properties, production, and conservation of A. formosanus in diverse ecosystems. PMID:25575732

Strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) is one of the most important berry crops in the world. Root rot of strawberry caused by Rhizoctonia spp. is a serious threat to commercial strawberry production worldwide. However, there is no information on the genetic diversity and phylogenetic status of Rhizoctonia spp. associated with root rot of strawberry in Australia. To address this, a total of 96 Rhizoctonia spp. isolates recovered from diseased strawberry plants in Western Australia were characterized for their nuclear condition, virulence, genetic diversity and phylogenetic status. All the isolates were found to be binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR). Sixty-five of the 96 BNR isolates were pathogenic on strawberry, but with wide variation in virulence, with 25 isolates having high virulence. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal DNA separated the 65 pathogenic BNR isolates into six distinct clades. The sequence analysis also separated reference BNR isolates from strawberry or other crops across the world into clades that correspond to their respective anastomosis group (AG). Some of the pathogenic BNR isolates from this study were embedded in the clades for AG-A, AG-K and AG-I, while other isolates formed clades that were sister to the clades specific for AG-G, AG-B, AG-I and AG-C. There was no significant association between genetic diversity and virulence of these BNR isolates. This study demonstrates that pathogenic BNR isolates associated with root rot of strawberry in Western Australia have wide genetic diversity, and highlights new genetic groups not previously found to be associated with root rot of strawberry in the world (e.g., AG-B) or in Australia (e.g., AG-G). The wide variation in virulence and genetic diversity identified in this study will be of high value for strawberry breeding programs in selecting, developing and deploying new cultivars with resistance to these multi-genetic groups of BNR. PMID:23405226

Strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) is one of the most important berry crops in the world. Root rot of strawberry caused by Rhizoctonia spp. is a serious threat to commercial strawberry production worldwide. However, there is no information on the genetic diversity and phylogenetic status of Rhizoctonia spp. associated with root rot of strawberry in Australia. To address this, a total of 96 Rhizoctonia spp. isolates recovered from diseased strawberry plants in Western Australia were characterized for their nuclear condition, virulence, genetic diversity and phylogenetic status. All the isolates were found to be binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR). Sixty-five of the 96 BNR isolates were pathogenic on strawberry, but with wide variation in virulence, with 25 isolates having high virulence. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal DNA separated the 65 pathogenic BNR isolates into six distinct clades. The sequence analysis also separated reference BNR isolates from strawberry or other crops across the world into clades that correspond to their respective anastomosis group (AG). Some of the pathogenic BNR isolates from this study were embedded in the clades for AG-A, AG-K and AG-I, while other isolates formed clades that were sister to the clades specific for AG-G, AG-B, AG-I and AG-C. There was no significant association between genetic diversity and virulence of these BNR isolates. This study demonstrates that pathogenic BNR isolates associated with root rot of strawberry in Western Australia have wide genetic diversity, and highlights new genetic groups not previously found to be associated with root rot of strawberry in the world (e.g., AG-B) or in Australia (e.g., AG-G). The wide variation in virulence and genetic diversity identified in this study will be of high value for strawberry breeding programs in selecting, developing and deploying new cultivars with resistance to these multi-genetic groups of BNR. PMID:23405226

The in vitro antifungal properties of chitosan and its role in protection of soybean from a sudden death syndrome (SDS) were evaluated. Chitosan inhibited the radial and submerged growth of F. solani f. sp. glycines with a marked effect at concentrations up to 1mg/ml indicating antifungal property and at 3mg/ml was able to delay SDS symptoms expression on soybean leaves for over three days after fungal inoculation when applied preventively. Chitosan was able to induce the level of chitinase activity in soybean resulting in the retardation of SDS development in soybean leaves. However, the SDS symptoms gradually appeared and were associated with the reduction of chitinase activity level after five days of infection period. These results suggested the role of chitosan in partially protecting soybeans from F. solani f. sp. glycines infection. PMID:16828285

Chemical-based pesticides are widely used in agriculture to protect crops from insect infestation and diseases. However, the excessive use of highly toxic pesticides causes several human health (neurological, tumor, cancer) and environmental problems. Therefore nanoparticle-based green pesticides have become of special importance in recent years. The antifungal activities of pure and Ag doped (solid and hollow) TiO2 nanoparticles are studied against two potent phytopathogens, Fusarium solani (which causes Fusarium wilt disease in potato, tomato, etc) and Venturia inaequalis (which causes apple scab disease) and it is found that hollow nanoparticles are more effective than the other two. The antifungal activities of the nanoparticles were further enhanced against these two phytopathogens under visible light exposure. The fungicidal effect of the nanoparticles depends on different parameters, such as particle concentration and the intensity of visible light. The minimum inhibitory dose of the nanoparticles for V. inaequalis and F. solani are 0.75 and 0.43 mg/plate. The presence of Ag as a dopant helps in the formation of stable Ag-S and disulfide bonds (R-S-S-R) in cellular protein, which leads to cell damage. During photocatalysis generated (•)OH radicals loosen the cell wall structure and this finally leads to cell death. The mechanisms of the fungicidal effect of nanoparticles against these two phytopathogens are supported by biuret and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride analyses and field emission electron microscopy. Apart from the fungicidal effect, at a very low dose (0.015 mg/plate) the nanoparticles are successful in arresting production of toxic napthoquinone pigment for F. solani which is related to the fungal pathogenecity. The nanoparticles are found to be effective in protecting potatoes affected by F. solani or other fungi from spoiling. PMID:26808118

Chemical-based pesticides are widely used in agriculture to protect crops from insect infestation and diseases. However, the excessive use of highly toxic pesticides causes several human health (neurological, tumor, cancer) and environmental problems. Therefore nanoparticle-based green pesticides have become of special importance in recent years. The antifungal activities of pure and Ag doped (solid and hollow) TiO2 nanoparticles are studied against two potent phytopathogens, Fusarium solani (which causes Fusarium wilt disease in potato, tomato, etc) and Venturia inaequalis (which causes apple scab disease) and it is found that hollow nanoparticles are more effective than the other two. The antifungal activities of the nanoparticles were further enhanced against these two phytopathogens under visible light exposure. The fungicidal effect of the nanoparticles depends on different parameters, such as particle concentration and the intensity of visible light. The minimum inhibitory dose of the nanoparticles for V. inaequalis and F. solani are 0.75 and 0.43 mg/plate. The presence of Ag as a dopant helps in the formation of stable Ag-S and disulfide bonds (R-S-S-R) in cellular protein, which leads to cell damage. During photocatalysis generated •OH radicals loosen the cell wall structure and this finally leads to cell death. The mechanisms of the fungicidal effect of nanoparticles against these two phytopathogens are supported by biuret and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride analyses and field emission electron microscopy. Apart from the fungicidal effect, at a very low dose (0.015 mg/plate) the nanoparticles are successful in arresting production of toxic napthoquinone pigment for F. solani which is related to the fungal pathogenecity. The nanoparticles are found to be effective in protecting potatoes affected by F. solani or other fungi from spoiling.

Early blight, caused by Alternaria solani, is an economically important foliar disease of potato in several production areas of the United States. Few potato cultivars possess resistance to early blight; therefore, the application of fungicides is the primary means of achieving disease control. Previous work in our laboratory reported resistance to the succinate dehydrogenase-inhibiting (SDHI) fungicide boscalid in this plant pathogen with a concomitant loss of disease control. Two phenotypes were detected, one in which A. solani isolates were moderately resistant to boscalid, the other in which isolates were highly resistant to the fungicide. Resistance in other fungal plant pathogens to SDHI fungicides is known to occur due to amino acid exchanges in the soluble subunit succinate dehydrogenase B (SdhB), C (SdhC), and D (SdhD) proteins. In this study, the AsSdhB, AsSdhC, and AsSdhD genes were analyzed and compared in sensitive (50% effective concentration [EC50] < 5 μg ml(-1)), moderately resistant (EC50 = 5.1 to 20 μg ml(-1)), highly resistant (EC50 = 20.1 to 100 μg ml(-1)), and very highly resistant (EC50 > 100 μg ml(-1)) A. solani isolates. In total, five mutations were detected, two in each of the AsSdhB and AsSdhD genes and one in the AsSdhC gene. The sequencing of AsSdhB elucidated point mutations cytosine (C) to thymine (T) at nucleotide 990 and adenine (A) to guanine (G) at nucleotide 991, leading to an exchange from histidine to tyrosine (H278Y) or arginine (H278R), respectively, at codon 278. The H278R exchange was detected in 4 of 10 A. solani isolates moderately resistant to boscalid, exhibiting EC50 values of 6 to 8 μg ml(-1). Further genetic analysis also confirmed this mutation in isolates with high and very high EC50 values for boscalid of 28 to 500 μg ml(-1). Subsequent sequencing of AsSdhC and AsSdhD genes confirmed the presence of additional mutations from A to G at nucleotide position 490 in AsSdhC and at nucleotide position 398 in the As

ABSTRACT The severity of bean root rot caused by Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli in vitro was studied with regard to exchangeable soil aluminum for 25 soil samples collected from northeastern Honshyu island, Japan. Of these, 24 were Andosols, typically acidic and of volcanic ash origin. Disease severity was assessed based on the number of lesions produced by the pathogen on a 6-cm section of bean stem buried and incubated for 8 days at 25 degrees C in artificially infested soil samples. The number of lesions differed considerably among soil samples. In all soils in which disease incidence was very low, macroconidial germination was strongly inhibited. The inhibition was observed in all soil samples with exchangeable aluminum contents of at least 0.4 meq/100 g of soil, although it is unclear if this concentration is the lowest limit for inhibition. When soil pH was 5.6 or lower, higher amounts of exchangeable aluminum were detected from soils in which the major clay mineralogy was chloritized 2:1 minerals, while no or limited amounts of aluminum were detected from soils in which the major clay mineralogy was allophane/imogolite. Macroconidial germination and disease incidence are thus closely related to clay mineralogy, which regulates the behavior of exchangeable aluminum. PMID:18944802

The aim of this study was to optimize the culture conditions of Fusarium solani KCCM90040 on cereal grain for the production of neoN-methylsansalvamide, a novel low-molecular-weight cyclic pentadepsipeptide exhibiting cytotoxic and multidrug resistance reversal effects. From the analysis of variance results using response surface methodology, temperature, initial moisture content, and growth time were shown to be important parameters for the production of neoN-methylsansalvamide on cereal grain. A model was established in the present study to describe the relationship between environmental conditions and the production of neoN-methylsansalvamide on rice, the selected cereal grain. The optimal culture conditions were determined at 25.79 °C with the initial moisture content of 40.79%, and 16.19 days of growth time. This report will give important information concerning the optimization of environmental conditions using statistic methodology for the production of a new cyclic pentadepsipeptide from fungi. PMID:25130748

Fusarium species are non-dermatophytic moulds, which are commonly known soil saprophytes and important plant pathogens, and have been frequently reported to be aetiological agents of opportunistic infections in humans. The prevalence of onychomycosis caused by Fusarium species varies in the literature because of geographical differences in mould distribution and diagnostic methods. Onychomycosis caused by Fusarium species is considered rare in Korea, and only four cases have been described to date. Pseudomonas aeruginosa also can infect nails and cause green nail syndrome, and recent research has shown that fungal infection may potentiate the colonisation or growth of P. aeruginosa within a nail. Furthermore, such coinfection with P. aeruginosa can prevent the isolation of the fungus because of bacterial overgrowth in culture. The authors report the cases of two immunocompetent patients with F. solani onychomycosis coinfected with P. aeruginosa. Both presented with a greenish/yellowish discolouration and thickening of a thumbnail, and were treated with systemic ciprofloxacin in combination with itraconazole or terbinafine. PMID:19751392

The aim of this paper is to estimate soil moisture at spatial level by applying geostatistical techniques on the point observations of soil moisture in parts of Solani River catchment in Haridwar district of India. Undisturbed soil samples were collected at 69 locations with soil core sampler at a depth of 0-10 cm from the soil surface. Out of these, discrete soil moisture observations at 49 locations were used to generate a spatial soil moisture distribution map of the region. Two geostatistical techniques, namely, moving average and kriging, were adopted. Root mean square error (RMSE) between observed and estimated soil moisture at remaining 20 locations was determined to assess the accuracy of the estimated soil moisture. Both techniques resulted in low RMSE at small limiting distance, which increased with the increase in the limiting distance. The root mean square error varied from 7.42 to 9.77 in moving average method, while in case of kriging it varied from 7.33 to 9.99 indicating similar performance of the two techniques.

Coffee processing industries generate caffeine-containing waste that needs to be treated and decaffeinated before being disposed. Five fungal isolates obtained on caffeine-containing mineral media were tested for their ability to utilize caffeine at high concentrations. An isolate identified as Fusarium solani could utilize caffeine as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen up to 5 g/l and could degrade it to an extent of 30-53 % in 120 h. Sucrose that was added as an auxiliary substrate (5 g/l) enhanced the biodecaffeination of caffeine to 88 % in 96 h. The addition of co- substrate (sucrose) not only resulted in higher biodecaffeination efficiency, but also reduced the incubation period from the initial 120 to 96 h. Theophylline and 3-methyl xanthine were obtained as the major metabolites of decaffeination at 96 and 120 h, respectively. Response surface methodology used to optimize the process parameters for maximum biodecaffeination as well as theophylline production showed that a pH of 5.8, temperature of 24 °C and inoculum size of 4.8 × 10(5) spores/ml have resulted in a complete biodecaffeination of caffeine as well as the production of theophylline with a yield of 33 % (w/w). Results thus show that a viable and sustainable process can be developed for the detoxification of caffeine along with the recovery of theophylline, a commercially important chemical. PMID:26419659

Lipase (Glycerol ester hydrolase EC 3.1.1.3.) from a Brazilian strain of Fusarium solani FSI has been investigated. The effect of different carbon sources and trace elements added to basal medium was observed with the aim of improving enzyme production. Lipase specific activity was highest (0.45 U mg(-1)) for sesame oil. When this medium was supplemented with trace elements using olive oil, corn oil and sesame oil the lipase specific activity increased to 0.86, 1.89 and 1.64 U mg(-1), respectively, after 96 h cultivation without any considerable biomass increase. The Km of this lipase using pNPP (p-nitrophenylpalmitate) as substrate, was 1.8 mM with a Vmax of 1.7 micromol min(-1) mg protein(-1). Lipase activity increased in the presence of increasing concentrations of hexane and toluene. In contrast, incubation of this enzyme with water-soluble solvents decreased its activity after 10% concentration (v/v) of the solvent. The lipase activity was stable below 35 degrees C but above this temperature activity losses were observed. PMID:11315806

Volumetric productivity of camptothecin from the suspension culture of the endophyte Fusarium solani was enhanced up to ∼152 fold (from 0.19 μg l(-1) d(-1) to 28.9 μg l(-1) d(-1)) under optimized fermentation conditions including initial pH (6.0), temperature (32 °C) and agitation speed (80 rpm) with (5% (v/v)) ethanol as medium component. Among various elicitors and precursors studied, tryptamine (0.5 mM) as precursor and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0.075 mM) as an elicitor added on day 6 of the cultivation period resulted in maximum enhancement of camptothecin concentration (up to 4.5 and 3.4-fold, respectively). These leads provide immense scope for further enhancement in camptothecin productivity at bioreactor level. The cytotoxicity analysis of the crude camptothecin extract from the fungal biomass revealed its high effectiveness against colon and mammary gland cancer cell lines. PMID:26851893

Endophytic fungi were less investigated for exopolysaccharide production. In this study endophytic Fusarium solani SD5 was used for optimization of exopolysaccharide production. One variable at a time method and response surface methodology were employed to explore the optimum medium compositions and fermentation conditions. The organism produced maximum exopolysaccharide after 13.68 days of incubation at 28 °C in potato dextrose broth supplemented with (g%/l) glucose, 9.8; yeast extract, 0.69; KCl, 0.05; KH₂PO₄, 0.05 with medium pH 6.46. Use of 50 ml medium in 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask gives highest exopolysaccharide production. The organism produced more than two times higher exopolysaccharide (2.276 ± 0.032 g/l EPS) at optimized condition compared to pre-optimized condition (0.96 ± 0.021). In vivo toxicity test established nontoxic nature of the EPS (≤400 mg EPS/Kg of body weight). The EPS slightly altered intestinal indigenous bacteria and influenced the growth of beneficial Lactobacillus spp. PMID:23911494

Field microplot, small plot, and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of rotation crops on Pratylenchus penetrans, Meloidogyne hapla, and Rhizoctonia fragariae populations. Extraction of P. penetrans from roots and soil in microplots and field plots planted to rotation crops was highest for Garry oat, lowest for Triple S sorgho-sudangrass and Saia oat, and intermediate for strawberry, buckwheat, and canola. Isolation of R. fragariae from bait roots was highest for strawberry and canola after 2 years of rotation and lowest for Saia oat. Nematode extraction from roots of rotation crops in field soils was generally higher than from roots in microplots. Grasses were nonhosts of M. hapla. Strawberry, canola, and buckwheat supported root-knot populations over time, but there were no differences in nematode numbers regardless of crop after one season of strawberry growth. Garry oat, canola, and, to a lesser extent, buckwheat supported large populations of P. penetrans without visible root symptoms. Strawberry plants supported fewer nematodes due to root damage. Nematode numbers from soil were less than from roots for all crops. While there were similar trends for pathogen recovery after more than 1 year of strawberry growth following rotation, differences in pathogen density and fruit yield were not significant. In the greenhouse, P. penetrans populations in roots and soil in pots were much higher for Garry oat than for Saia oat. Total P. penetrans adult and juvenile numbers per pot ranged from 40 to 880 (mean = 365.6) for Garry oat and 0 to 40 (mean = 8.7) for Saia oat. Production of Saia oat as a rotation crop may be a means of managing strawberry nematodes and black root rot in Connecticut. PMID:19270931

Field microplot, small plot, and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of rotation crops on Pratylenchus penetrans, Meloidogyne hapla, and Rhizoctonia fragariae populations. Extraction of P. penetrans from roots and soil in microplots and field plots planted to rotation crops was highest for Garry oat, lowest for Triple S sorgho-sudangrass and Saia oat, and intermediate for strawberry, buckwheat, and canola. Isolation of R. fragariae from bait roots was highest for strawberry and canola after 2 years of rotation and lowest for Saia oat. Nematode extraction from roots of rotation crops in field soils was generally higher than from roots in microplots. Grasses were nonhosts of M. hapla. Strawberry, canola, and buckwheat supported root-knot populations over time, but there were no differences in nematode numbers regardless of crop after one season of strawberry growth. Garry oat, canola, and, to a lesser extent, buckwheat supported large populations of P. penetrans without visible root symptoms. Strawberry plants supported fewer nematodes due to root damage. Nematode numbers from soil were less than from roots for all crops. While there were similar trends for pathogen recovery after more than 1 year of strawberry growth following rotation, differences in pathogen density and fruit yield were not significant. In the greenhouse, P. penetrans populations in roots and soil in pots were much higher for Garry oat than for Saia oat. Total P. penetrans adult and juvenile numbers per pot ranged from 40 to 880 (mean = 365.6) for Garry oat and 0 to 40 (mean = 8.7) for Saia oat. Production of Saia oat as a rotation crop may be a means of managing strawberry nematodes and black root rot in Connecticut. PMID:19270931

Bois noir (BN) associated with 'Candidatus Phytoplasma solani' (Stolbur) is regularly found in Austrian vine growing regions. Investigations between 2003 and 2008 indicated sporadic presence of the confirmed disease vector Hyalesthes obsoletus and frequent infections of bindweed and grapevine. Infections of nettles were rare. In contrast present investigations revealed a mass occurrence of H. obsoletus almost exclusively on stinging nettle. The high population densities of H. obsoletus on Urtica dioica were accompanied by frequent occurrence of 'Ca. P. solani' in nettles and planthoppers. Sequence analysis of the molecular markers secY, stamp, tuf and vmp1 of stolbur revealed a single genotype named CPsM4_At1 in stinging nettles and more than 64 and 90 % abundance in grapevine and H. obsoletus, respectively. Interestingly, this genotype showed tuf b type restriction pattern previously attributed to bindweed associated 'Ca. P. solani' strains, but a different sequence assigned as tuf b2 compared to reference tuf b strains. All other marker genes of CPsM4_At1 clustered with tuf a and nettle derived genotypes verifying distinct nettle phytoplasma genotypes. Transmission experiments with H. obsoletus and Anaceratagallia ribauti resulted in successful transmission of five different strains including the major genotype to Catharanthus roseus and in transmission of the major genotype to U. dioica. Altogether, five nettle and nine bindweed associated genotypes were described. Bindweed types were verified in 34 % of grapevine samples, in few positive Reptalus panzeri, rarely in bindweeds and occasionally in Catharanthus roseus infected by H. obsoletus or A. ribauti. 'Candidatus Phytoplasma convolvuli' (bindweed yellows) was ascertained in nettle and bindweed samples. PMID:25309042

Background The pectinolytic enterobacteria of the Pectobacterium and Dickeya genera are causative agents of maceration-associated diseases affecting a wide variety of crops and ornamentals. For the past decade, the emergence of a novel species D. solani was observed in potato fields in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The purpose of this study is to search by comparative genomics the genetic traits that could be distinctive to other Dickeya species and be involved in D. solani adaptation to the potato plant host. Results D. solani 3337 exhibits a 4.9 Mb circular genome that is characterized by a low content in mobile elements with the identification of only two full length insertion sequences. A genomic comparison with the deeply-annotated model D. dadantii 3937 strain was performed. While a large majority of Dickeya virulence genes are shared by both strains, a few hundreds genes of D. solani 3337, mostly regrouped in 25 genomic regions, are distinctive to D. dadantii 3937. These genomic regions are present in the other available draft genomes of D. solani strains and interestingly some of them were not found in the sequenced genomes of the other Dickeya species. These genomic regions regroup metabolic genes and are often accompanied by genes involved in transport systems. A metabolic analysis correlated some metabolic genes with distinctive functional traits of both D. solani 3337 and D. dadantii 3937. Three identified D. solani genomic regions also regroup NRPS/PKS encoding genes. In addition, D. solani encodes a distinctive arsenal of T5SS and T6SS-related toxin-antitoxin systems. These genes may contribute to bacteria-bacteria interactions and to the fitness of D. solani to the plant environment. Conclusions This study highlights the genomic specific traits of the emerging pathogen D. solani and will provide the basis for studying those that are involved in the successful adaptation of this emerging pathogen to the potato plant host. PMID:24735398

Rhizoctonia leguminicola Gough and Elliott is a widely used name for the causal agent of blackpatch disease of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). This fungal pathogen produces alkaloids (slaframine and swainsonine) that affect grazing mammals. Slaframine causes livestock to salivate profusely, and swainsonine causes neurological problems. Although the blackpatch fungus was classified as a Rhizoctonia species (phylum Basidiomycota), morphological studies have indicated that it is in the phylum Ascomycota, and sequencing data have indicated that it may be a new genus of ascomycete. The effects of the alkaloids on grazing mammals and their biosynthetic pathways have been extensively studied. In contrast, few studies have been done on management of the disease, which requires a greater understanding of the pathogen. Methods of disease management have included seed treatments and fungicides, but these have not been investigated since the 1950s. Searches for resistant cultivars have been limited. This review summarizes the biological effects and biosynthetic precursors of slaframine and swainsonine. Emphasis is placed on current knowledge about the epidemiology of blackpatch disease and the ecology and taxonomy of the pathogen. Possibilities for future research and disease management efforts are suggested. PMID:26858953

Rhizoctonia leguminicola Gough and Elliott is a widely used name for the causal agent of blackpatch disease of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). This fungal pathogen produces alkaloids (slaframine and swainsonine) that affect grazing mammals. Slaframine causes livestock to salivate profusely, and swainsonine causes neurological problems. Although the blackpatch fungus was classified as a Rhizoctonia species (phylum Basidiomycota), morphological studies have indicated that it is in the phylum Ascomycota, and sequencing data have indicated that it may be a new genus of ascomycete. The effects of the alkaloids on grazing mammals and their biosynthetic pathways have been extensively studied. In contrast, few studies have been done on management of the disease, which requires a greater understanding of the pathogen. Methods of disease management have included seed treatments and fungicides, but these have not been investigated since the 1950s. Searches for resistant cultivars have been limited. This review summarizes the biological effects and biosynthetic precursors of slaframine and swainsonine. Emphasis is placed on current knowledge about the epidemiology of blackpatch disease and the ecology and taxonomy of the pathogen. Possibilities for future research and disease management efforts are suggested. PMID:26858953

Wood is a highly intractable food source, yet many insects successfully colonize and thrive in this challenging niche. Overcoming the lignin barrier of wood is a key challenge in nutrient acquisition, but full depolymerization of intact lignin polymers has only been conclusively demonstrated in fungi and is not known to occur by enzymes produced by insects or bacteria. Previous research validated that lignocellulose and hemicellulose degradation occur within the gut of the wood boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian longhorned beetle), and that a fungal species, Fusarium solani (ATCC MYA 4552), is consistently associated with the larval stage. While the nature of this relationship is unresolved, we sought to assess this fungal isolate's ability to degrade lignocellulose and cell wall polysaccharides and to extract nutrients from woody tissue. This gut-derived fungal isolate was inoculated onto a wood-based substrate and shotgun proteomics using Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology (MudPIT) was employed to identify 400 expressed proteins. Through this approach, we detected proteins responsible for plant cell wall polysaccharide degradation, including proteins belonging to 28 glycosyl hydrolase families and several cutinases, esterases, lipases, pectate lyases, and polysaccharide deacetylases. Proteinases with broad substrate specificities and ureases were observed, indicating that this isolate has the capability to digest plant cell wall proteins and recycle nitrogenous waste under periods of nutrient limitation. Additionally, several laccases, peroxidases, and enzymes involved in extracellular hydrogen peroxide production previously implicated in lignin depolymerization were detected. In vitro biochemical assays were conducted to corroborate MudPIT results and confirmed that cellulases, glycosyl hydrolases, xylanases, laccases, and Mn- independent peroxidases were active in culture; however, lignin- and Mn- dependent peroxidase activities were

Fusarium solani isolate T-8 produces an extracellular enzyme, cutinase, which catalyzes the degradation of cutin in the plant cuticle. Cutinase activity can be measured by the hydrolysis of either the artifical substrate, p-nitrophenylbutyrate (PNB), or radioactive cutin containing [14C]palmitic acid. In the present study, the culture filtrate contained basal levels of cutinase when T-8 was grown on acetate as a sole source of carbon. After mutagenesis, a cutinase-defective mutant (PNB-1) was identified by screening acetate-grown colonies for a loss of PNBase activity. The mutant possessed an 80 to 90% reduction in cutinase activity when grown for 3 to 5 days on acetate- or cutin-containing medium. Induction of cutinase by cutin or hydrolyzed cutin after growth on glucose medium was similarly reduced. Kinetic analysis indicated that cutinase from the mutant possessed a near normal Km for PNB and a 92% reduction in Vmax. Fluorography and Western blotting of 15% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels of separated 35S-labeled proteins from cutin induction medium revealed that in the mutant the 22,000-molecular-weight band corresponding to cutinase was reduced approximately 85%. The virulence of the mutant in a pea stem bioassay was decreased by 55% and was restored to nearly the parental level by the addition of purified cutinase. The data suggest that the mutant synthesizes reduced quantities of a functional and immunoreactive cutinase enzyme and that cutinase plays a critical role in infection. The PNB1 mutation may be within a regulatory gene or a promoter for cutinase. Images PMID:3782031

Hairy roots were initiated from two soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes with different susceptibility (susceptible 'Spencer' and partially resistant 'PI567.374') to the disease sudden death syndrome (SDS) caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogen Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines (FSG) to study the role of isoflavonoids in the plant response to FSG infection. Hairy root cultures obtained by transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes allows normal root growth that can be visually monitored. The principal isoflavones (genistin, daidzin, glycitin and their malonyl conjugates and aglycones) and also isoflavonoid phytoalexins (coumestrol and glyceollin) were measured by HPLC in extracts of the FSG-inoculated and non-inoculated hairy roots. FSG mycelia grew more slowly on inoculated PI567.374 hairy roots than on Spencer hairy roots. The glyceollin content was higher in FSG-inoculated PI567.374 hairy roots than in Spencer hairy roots even though the glyceollin precursor, the isoflavone daidzein, was higher in Spencer. The de novo synthesis of isoflavones and glyceollin was confirmed by [(14)C]Phe incorporation into glyceollin, which was higher both in the FSG-inoculated roots and surrounding medium of the cv. PI567.374 than that of Spencer. Glyceollin was the most inhibitory to FSG growth among eight isoflavonoids tested. The levels of coumestrol, a putative phytoalexin, did not change upon FSG inoculation. The defense response was also elicited by FSG culture filtrates in hairy roots grown in liquid culture. The data obtained indicate that the ability of soybean roots to rapidly produce sufficient amounts of glyceollin in response to FSG infection might be important in providing partial resistance to this fungus. PMID:15331097

Binucelate Rhizoctonia spp. (BNR), the cause of web blight, are present all year on container-grown azaleas in the southern U.S. BNR can be eliminated during vegetative propagation by submerging stem cuttings in 50°C water for 21 minutes. The objective was to evaluate risk of rooting trays being con...

Onion stunting or bare patch caused by Rhizoctonia spp. is an economically important disease in sandy soils of the Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington. Patches of stunted onions develop where cover crops of wheat or barley are killed with a herbicide spray prior to spring planting of onion seed....

Rhizoctonia spp. cause patches of stunted onion plants in onion bulbs crop in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon when onion crops are planted in sandy soils of this semi-arid region following winter cereal cover crops. A herbicide application is used to kill the cereal cover crop, usually ...

Onion stunting, caused by Rhizoctonia spp., has become a significant soilborne problem of onion bulb crops planted in sandy soils in the semi-arid Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington following winter cereal cover crops. Research on the epidemiology and management of this disease is in progress. ...

Rhizoctonia spp. are important pathogens of a broad range of crop plants that are economically important to the farm economy of the Western Cape region of South Africa. However, there is little information concerning the identity and relative importance of these fungal pathogens, and the effect of ...

The fungus Rhizoctoniasolani Kuhn is a widespread and destructive plant pathogen with a very broad host range. Although various pathogens, including R. solani, have been traditionally controlled using chemical pesticides, their use faces drawbacks such as environmental pollution, development of pesticide resistance, and other negative effects. Carbendazim is a well-known antifungal agent capable of controlling a broad range of plant diseases, but its use is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we describe an environmentally friendly pharmaceutical microemulsion system using carbendazim as the active ingredient, chloroform and acetic acid as solvents, and the surfactants HSH and 0204 as emulsifiers. This system increased the solubility of carbendazim to 30 g/L. The optimal microemulsion formulation was determined based on a pseudo-ternary phase diagram; its physicochemical characteristics were also tested. The cloud point was greater than 90°C and it was resistant to freezing down to −18°C, both of which are improvements over the temperature range in which pure carbendazim can be used. This microemulsion meets the standard for pesticide microemulsions and demonstrated better activity against R. solani AG1-IA, relative to an aqueous solution of pure carbendazim (0.2 g/L). The mechanism of activity was reflected in the inhibition of against R. solani AG1-IA including mycelium growth, and sclerotia formation and germination were significantly better than that of 0.2 g/L carbendazim water solution according to the results of t-test done by SPSS 19. PMID:25310219

The fungus Rhizoctoniasolani Kuhn is a widespread and destructive plant pathogen with a very broad host range. Although various pathogens, including R. solani, have been traditionally controlled using chemical pesticides, their use faces drawbacks such as environmental pollution, development of pesticide resistance, and other negative effects. Carbendazim is a well-known antifungal agent capable of controlling a broad range of plant diseases, but its use is hampered by its poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we describe an environmentally friendly pharmaceutical microemulsion system using carbendazim as the active ingredient, chloroform and acetic acid as solvents, and the surfactants HSH and 0204 as emulsifiers. This system increased the solubility of carbendazim to 30 g/L. The optimal microemulsion formulation was determined based on a pseudo-ternary phase diagram; its physicochemical characteristics were also tested. The cloud point was greater than 90°C and it was resistant to freezing down to -18°C, both of which are improvements over the temperature range in which pure carbendazim can be used. This microemulsion meets the standard for pesticide microemulsions and demonstrated better activity against R. solani AG1-IA, relative to an aqueous solution of pure carbendazim (0.2 g/L). The mechanism of activity was reflected in the inhibition of against R. solani AG1-IA including mycelium growth, and sclerotia formation and germination were significantly better than that of 0.2 g/L carbendazim water solution according to the results of t-test done by SPSS 19. PMID:25310219

... caused by the fungus, Rhizoctoniasolani. The applicant proposes the use of a new chemical which has not... fluxapyroxad on rice to control sheath blight caused by the fungus Rhizoctoniasolani. Information in... asserts that fluxapyroxad is needed to control sheath blight in rice caused by the fungus...

Several volatile natural compounds produced by plant secondary metabolism have been proven to present antimicrobial action, enabling their use in phytopathogen control. They also present low environmental impact when compared to conventional pesticides. Essential oils contain these compounds and can be found in several plant species, such as Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown (Verbenaceae). Essential oils of four chemotypes of L. alba, characterized by their major compounds, namely camphor, citral, linalool and camphor/1,8-cineole, were tested against the phytopathogen Alternaria solani Sorauer (Pleosporaceae), which causes early blight on tomatoes and is responsible for great economic losses regarding production. Essential oils antifungal action was tested in vitro using potato dextrose agar medium with essential oil concentrations at 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 µL mL-1. The chemotype that had the best performance was citral, showing significant inhibition compared to the others, starting at the 0.5 µL mL-1 concentration. The essential oil belonging to the linalool chemotype was efficient starting at the 1.5 µL mL-1 concentration. Conversely, the camphor chemotype did not show any action against the phytopathogen. Moreover, the essential oils had no remarkable effect on tomato germination and growth. In conclusion, these essential oils presented fungicidal action against A. solani. PMID:27254445

Early blight of potato, caused by Alternaria solani, is a ubiquitous disease in many countries around the world. We have previously found that variation in resistance phenotypes exist between two different Iranian cultivars of potato. Cultivar ‘Diamond’ is more resistant to multiple isolates of A. s...

Fusarium species are frequently associated with mycotic keratitis and, to a lesser extent, cases of localized and disseminated infections. The Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) is the most common group of fusaria associated with human infectious diseases. Several studies to date have revealed d...

Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria solani, the causal agents of Ascochyta blight of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and early blight of potato (Solanum tuberosum), respectively, produce a set of phytotoxic compounds incuding solanapyrones A, B, and C. Although both the phytotoxicity of solanopyrones and the...

Developmental rates and age-specific life tables were determined for Aulacorthum solani (Kaltenbach) (known as foxglove aphid or glasshouse potato aphid) at 6 constant temperatures feeding on pansy (Viola × wittrockiana) (Gams.). Previously, there were no complete life table studies of this species...

Phylogenetic relationships of several species within the Fusarium solani-complex were investigated using characters from the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Genetic variation within 24 isolates, including 5 soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS) strains, was assessed using rDNA sequence data and restriction fragment length polymorphic markers. By these techniques, the causal agent of soybean SDS was identified as F. solani f. sp. phaseoli. In separate cladistic analyses, Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Nectria cinnabarina or F. ventricosum were used for rooting purposes. Monophyly of the F. solani-complex was strongly supported by bootstrap and decay analyses. Parsimony analysis indicates that this complex is composed of a number of phylogenetically distinct species, including Neocosmospora vasinfecta, F. solani f. sp. phaseoli, and biological species designated as MPI, MPV, and MPVI of N. haematococca. The results demonstrate complete congruence between biological and phylogenetic species within the N. haematococca-complex. In addition, DNA sequence data were used to design a PCR primer pair which could specifically amplify DNA from isolates of the SDS pathogen from infected plants. PMID:7579615

Foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum solani Kaltenbach; Hemiptera: Aphididae) has recently undergone a status change from an occasional pest to a serious pest of greenhouse crops in North America and the UK. Consequently, little non-anecdotal information exists on the ecology of this insect in greenhouse cro...

Rhizoctonia root rot, bare patch, and damping-off of wheat are yield-limiting diseases caused by Rhizoctoniasolani AG-8 and R. oryzae. Detection and quantification of Rhizoctonia spp. are essential for evaluating pathogen distribution and management, but extraction of DNA from these pathogens is ha...

We report a case of severe keratitis due to Fusarium solani in a young man in the Sahara in Morocco where the climate is arid. This patient reported had a grain of sand in his right eye for a week after a sandstorm. On admission he had a corneal abscess. Despite rapid diagnosis and initiation of treatment with available antifungal drugs: amphotericin B and natamycin eye drops, the prognosis worsened and led to the enucleation of the right eye. Faced with a suspected eye infection after a microtrauma caused by grains of sand carried by a sandstorm, it is important to take biological samples to search for fungal infections among other. It is also important to have new triazole antifungal drugs available to treat ocular mycosis rapidly and effectively. PMID:24451564

A severe fungal infection affecting the head and lateral line system was diagnosed in 7 captive scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini in an aquarium in Thailand. Extensive and severe necrotizing cellulitis was consistently observed microscopically along the cephalic and lateral line canals in conjunction with positive fungal cultures for Fusarium sp. Molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed from 3 isolates based on the nucleotide sequences containing internally transcribed spacer (ITS) and a portion of 5.8S and 28S rDNA. The fungus was highly homologous (100%) and closely related to F. solani species complex 2 (FSSC 2), which belongs to Clade 3 of the FSSC. Our results illustrate the histopathological findings and expand upon our knowledge of the prevalence of invasive fusariosis in the head and lateral line system of hammerhead sharks. PMID:27503915

Background and Aims Most fully mycoheterotrophic (MH) orchids investigated to date are mycorrhizal with fungi that simultaneously form ectomycorrhizas with forest trees. Only a few MH orchids are currently known to be mycorrhizal with saprotrophic, mostly wood-decomposing, fungi instead of ectomycorrhizal fungi. This study provides evidence that the importance of associations between MH orchids and saprotrophic non-Rhizoctonia fungi is currently under-estimated. Methods Using microscopic techniques and molecular approaches, mycorrhizal fungi were localized and identified for seven MH orchid species from four genera and two subfamilies, Vanilloideae and Epidendroideae, growing in four humid and warm sub-tropical forests in Taiwan. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope natural abundances of MH orchids and autotrophic reference plants were used in order to elucidate the nutritional resources utilized by the orchids. Key Results Six out of the seven MH orchid species were mycorrhizal with either wood- or litter-decaying saprotrophic fungi. Only one orchid species was associated with ectomycorrhizal fungi. Stable isotope abundance patterns showed significant distinctions between orchids mycorrhizal with the three groups of fungal hosts. Conclusions Mycoheterotrophic orchids utilizing saprotrophic non-Rhizoctonia fungi as a carbon and nutrient source are clearly more frequent than hitherto assumed. On the basis of this kind of nutrition, orchids can thrive in deeply shaded, light-limiting forest understoreys even without support from ectomycorrhizal fungi. Sub-tropical East Asia appears to be a hotspot for orchids mycorrhizal with saprotrophic non-Rhizoctonia fungi. PMID:26113634

The present work was carried out to study the potential of plant rhizosphere associated bacteria for the biocontrol of potato black scurf disease caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Khun AG-3. A total of twenty-eight bacteria isolated from diseased and healthy potato plants grown in the soil of Naran and Faisalabad, Pakistan were evaluated for their antagonistic potential. Nine bacterial strains were found to be antagonistic in vitro, reduced the fungal growth and caused the lysis of sclerotia of R. solani in dual culture assay as well as in extracellular metabolite efficacy test. The selected antagonistic strains were further tested for the production and efficacy of volatile and diffusible antibiotics, lytic enzymes and siderophores against R. solani. Selected antagonistic bacteria were also characterized for growth promoting attributes i.e., phosphate solubilization, nitrogen fixation and indole acetic acid production. Biocontrol efficacy and percent yield increase by these antagonists was estimated in greenhouse experiment. Statistical analysis showed that two Pseudomonas spp. StT2 and StS3 were the most effective with 65.1 and 73.9 percent biocontrol efficacy, as well as 87.3 and 98.3 percent yield increase, respectively. Potential antagonistic bacterial strain StS3 showed maximum homology to Pseudomonas sp. as determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These results suggest that bacterial isolates StS3 and StT2 have excellent potential to be used as effective biocontrol agents promoting plant growth with reduced disease incidence. PMID:24031515

Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria solani, the causal agents of Ascochyta blight of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and early blight of potato (Solanum tuberosum), respectively, produce a set of phytotoxic compounds including solanapyrones A, B, and C. Although both the phytotoxicity of solanapyrones and their universal production among field isolates have been documented, the role of solanapyrones in pathogenicity is not well understood. Here, we report the functional characterization of the sol5 gene, which encodes a Diels-Alderase that catalyzes the final step of solanapyrone biosynthesis. Deletion of sol5 in both Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria solani completely prevented production of solanapyrones and led to accumulation of the immediate precursor compound, prosolanapyrone II-diol, which is not toxic to plants. Deletion of sol5 did not negatively affect growth rate or spore production in vitro, and led to overexpression of the other solanapyrone biosynthesis genes, suggesting a possible feedback regulation mechanism. Phytotoxicity tests showed that solanapyrone A is highly toxic to several legume species and Arabidopsis thaliana. Despite the apparent phytotoxicity of solanapyrone A, pathogenicity tests showed that solanapyrone-minus mutants of Ascochyta rabiei and Alternaria solani were equally virulent as their corresponding wild-type progenitors, suggesting that solanapyrones are not required for pathogenicity. PMID:25372118

We have previously reported that a fungal lectin, Rhizoctonia bataticola lectin (RBL), stimulates proliferation and secretion of Th1/Th2 cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In the present study, we evaluated the ability of RBL to differentiate human monocytes to macrophages. RBL induced morphological changes indicative of differentiation in primary monocytes and THP-1 cells. Stimulation with RBL resulted in significant up-regulation of differentiation markers - CD54, HLA-DR, CD11b and CD11c and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines - IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6. Functionally, RBL profoundly increased phagocytic activity in monocytes. In THP-1 cells, RBL-induced phagocytosis was higher compared to the effect induced by combination of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). RBL induced a significant increase in matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity in comparison with a combined treatment of PMA+LPS. Mechanistic studies revealed the involvement of the NF-κB pathway in RBL-induced differentiation of monocytes. The data suggest that RBL mimics the combined action of PMA and LPS to induce morphological and functional differentiation in human monocytes and monocytic cell line - THP-1 to macrophages. Human monocytes differentiated to macrophages with RBL have the potential as an in vitro model to study macrophage biology. PMID:25555439

Fusarium head blight (scab), primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. Wheat sharp eyespot, mainly caused by Rhizoctonia cerealis, is one of the major diseases of wheat in China. The defensin RsAFP2, a small cyteine-rich antifungal protein from radish (Raphanus sativus), was shown to inhibit growth in vitro of agronomically important fungal pathogens, such as F. graminearum and R. cerealis. The RsAFP2 gene was transformed into Chinese wheat variety Yangmai 12 via biolistic bombardment to assess the effectiveness of the defensin in protecting wheat from the fungal pathogens in multiple locations and years. The genomic PCR and Southern blot analyses indicated that RsAFP2 was integrated into the genomes of the transgenic wheat lines and heritable. RT-PCR and Western blot proved that the RsAFP2 was expressed in these transgenic wheat lines. Disease tests showed that four RsAFP2 transgenic lines (RA1-RA4) displayed enhanced resistance to F. graminearum compared to the untransformed Yangmai 12 and the null-segregated plants. Assays on Q-RT-PCR and disease severity showed that the express level of RsAFP2 was associated with the enhanced resistance degree. Two of these transgenic lines (RA1 and RA2) also exhibited enhanced resistance to R. cerealis. These results indicated that the expression of RsAFP2 conferred increased resistance to F. graminearum and R. cerealis in transgenic wheat. PMID:21279533

Cysteine-rich receptor kinases (CRKs) belong to the receptor-like kinase family. Little is known about CRK genes in wheat. We isolated a wheat CRK gene TaCRK1 from Rhizoctonia cerealis-resistant wheat CI12633 based on a differentially expressed sequence identified by RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. TaCRK1 was more highly expressed in CI12633 than in susceptible Wenmai 6. Transcription of TaCRK1 in wheat was induced in CI12633 after R. cerealis infection and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. The deduced TaCRK1 protein contained a signal peptide, two DUF26 domains, a transmembrane domain, and a serine/threonine protein kinase domain. Transient expression of a green fluorescence protein fused with TaCRK1 in wheat and onion indicated that TaCRK1 may localize to plasma membranes. Characterization of TaCRK1 silencing induced by virus-mediated method in CI12633 showed that the downregulation of TaCRK1 transcript did not obviously impair resistance to R. cerealis. This study paves the way to further CRK research in wheat. PMID:24149340

Cysteine-rich receptor kinases (CRKs) belong to the receptor-like kinase family. Little is known about CRK genes in wheat. We isolated a wheat CRK gene TaCRK1 from Rhizoctonia cerealis-resistant wheat CI12633 based on a differentially expressed sequence identified by RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. TaCRK1 was more highly expressed in CI12633 than in susceptible Wenmai 6. Transcription of TaCRK1 in wheat was induced in CI12633 after R. cerealis infection and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. The deduced TaCRK1 protein contained a signal peptide, two DUF26 domains, a transmembrane domain, and a serine/threonine protein kinase domain. Transient expression of a green fluorescence protein fused with TaCRK1 in wheat and onion indicated that TaCRK1 may localize to plasma membranes. Characterization of TaCRK1 silencing induced by virus-mediated method in CI12633 showed that the downregulation of TaCRK1 transcript did not obviously impair resistance to R. cerealis. This study paves the way to further CRK research in wheat.

An extracellular laccase was purified from the culture medium of the non-white rot, anthracene-degrading fungal strain Fusarium solani MAS2. Both native PAGE and SDS-PAGE revealed one single band corresponding to a molecular weight of about 72 kDa. Treatment with endoglycosidase H reduced the molecular weight by 12%. The purified laccase maintained stable at pH 3-11 and up to 50 degrees C. The highest activity was detected at pH 3.0 and at 70 degrees C. The enzyme retained 46.2-97.2% of it activity in the presence of 20mM Pb(2+), Ni(2+), Cr(3+), and its activity was enhanced in the presence of 20mM Hg(2+). The laccase retained more than 50% of its activity in the presence of 5% acetone, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), ethanol and methanol. The kinetic constants (K(m) and k(cat)) showed that 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (DMOP) and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) were the more effective substrates rather than catechol and guaiacol. The novel properties of this laccase suggest its potential for biotechnological and environmental applications. PMID:20716485

Volumetric productivity of camptothecin from the suspension culture of the endophyte Fusarium solani was enhanced up to ∼152 fold (from 0.19μgl(-1)d(-1) to 28.9μgl(-1)d(-1)) under optimized fermentation conditions including initial pH (6.0), temperature (32°C) and agitation speed (80rpm) with (5% (v/v)) ethanol as medium component. Among various elicitors and precursors studied, tryptamine (0.5mM) as precursor and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0.075mM) as an elicitor added on day 6 of the cultivation period resulted in maximum enhancement of camptothecin concentration (up to 4.5 and 3.4-fold, respectively). These leads provide immense scope for further enhancement in camptothecin productivity at bioreactor level. The cytotoxicity analysis of the crude camptothecin extract from the fungal biomass revealed its high effectiveness against colon and mammary gland cancer cell lines. PMID:27189536

Background Ecthyma gangrenosum (EG) manifests as a skin lesion affecting patients suffering extreme neutropenia and is commonly associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in immunocompromised patients. Leukocyte adhesion deficiency I (LAD I) which count among primary immunodeficiency syndromes of the innate immunity, is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized in its severe phenotype by a complete defect in CD18 expression on neutrophils, delayed cord separation, chronic skin ulcers mainly due to recurrent bacterial and fungal infections, leucocytosis with high numbers of circulating neutrophils and an accumulation of abnormally low number of neutrophils at sites of infection. Case Presentation We report at our knowledge the first case of a child affected by LAD-1, who experienced during her disease course a multi-bacterial and fungal EG lesion caused by fusarium solani. Despite targeted antibiotics and anti-fungi therapy, the lesion extended for as long as 18 months and only massive granulocytes pockets transfusions in association with G-CSF had the capacity to cure this lesion. Conclusion We propose that granulocytes pockets transfusions will be beneficial to heal EG especially in severely immunocompromised patients. PMID:20929531

An emerging pattern of similarity in medical case reports led to a project to compare the phylogenetic affinities of two well-known tropical fungal opportunistic pathogens, Cylindrocarpon lichenicola and Acremonium falciforme, to members of the Fusarium solani species complex. C. lichenicola and A. falciforme, despite their deviating conidial morphologies, were shown via sequencing of the ribosomal large subunit to be well instituted within a clade mainly consisting of typical F. solani strains and other species until recently considered variants of F. solani. The original name Fusarium lichenicola C. B. Massalongo is reestablished, and the new combination F. falciforme is made. Recognition of these species as fusaria is necessary for correct interpretation of current and future molecular diagnostic tests. Reevaluation of species morphology in light of the molecular findings showed that certain features, especially elongate filiform conidiophores with integrated terminal phialides, facilitate correct microscopic classification of these atypical Fusarium species. There is a strong and underrecognized overlap in the spectra of cases caused by members of the F. solani clade, particularly ocular infections, mycetomas, and, in the neutropenic host, disseminated and other serious systemic infections. A novel synthesis of case reports shows that patients from areas with warm climates may develop a distinctive fusarial intertrigo caused by F. solani, Fusarium lichenicola, or Fusarium oxysporum. PMID:12149344

Examination of cucumber roots (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in bark compost media and of the surrounding edaphic substrate showed profiles of polar lipid fatty acids commonly found in bacteria. The composition of fatty acids in these profiles differed significantly between roots grown in a medium naturally suppressive to Rhizoctonia damping-off and roots from a conducive medium. Cucumber roots from the suppressive medium had higher proportions of cis-vaccenic acid (18:1 omega 7c) and the iso-branched monoenoic fatty acid i17:1 omega 8 but lower proportions of several iso- and anteiso-branched fatty acids compared with roots from the conducive medium. The concentrations of the bacterial fatty acids were significantly lower in the surrounding media. However, the suppressive and conducive growth substrates had differences in the composition of the bacterial fatty acids similar to those found between the cucumber roots proper. These results suggest major differences in bacterial community composition between suppressive and conducive systems. Fatty acid analyses were also utilized to examine the effects on bacterial community composition of root colonization by Flavobacterium balustinum 299, a biocontrol agent. The concentration of the most prominent fatty acid in this bacterium, i17:1 omega 8, was increased on roots produced from inoculated seeds in a medium rendered suppressive by the treatment. This change was concomitant with a significant increase in the concentration of 18:1 omega 7c, not present in the lipids of the antagonist, indicating a shift in the microflora from a conducive to a suppressive bacterial community. PMID:16347930

The present study aims at isolation, identification, characterization and prediction of three-dimensional molecular architecture of a proteolytic enzyme from the early blight pathogen, Alternaria solani which are hypothesized to be a marker of phytopathogenicity. Maximum enzyme production by A. solani was observed in Czapex's Dox broth amended with 2% (w/v) casein than other inducer amendments. Results indicate that the enzyme remained highly active in a pH range of 7.0-10.0 and a temperature range of 45-50°C. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by EDTA, whereas phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and monovalent cations (Na(+), K(+)) had little effect. Metal ions such as MgSO4, CaCl2, KCl at 10 mM concentration showed a stimulatory effect (>85%) on protease activity. Matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time of flight/mass spectrometry analysis of partially purified enzyme revealed the presence of protease belonging to a keratinolytic protein (metalloprotease) of exopeptidase nature. Putative A. solani keratinolytic enzyme (AsK) is made up of 216 amino acid residues with molecular weight (MW) 24.5 kDa, having a molecular formula of C1094H1704N290O342S4. Ramachandran plot analysis of the protein residues falling into the most favored secondary structures was observed at 84.2%. The major protein structural blocks, 2-β-sheets, and 9-α-helices have a greater tendency to be conserved during the evolutionary process than do mere sequences of amino acids. Besides, AsK, model prediction showed the presence of a Zinc atom at helix regions (Helix 3, 6, 7: His(57), His(130), His(169), and Cys(123)). Thus, it can be concluded that the major proteinases of AsK are divalent cation-requiring metalloproteinases and make them potential targets of protease inhibitors designing. PMID:26924427

Early detection of disease and insect infestation within crops and precise application of pesticides can help reduce potential production losses, reduce environmental risk, and reduce the cost of farming. The goal of this study was the advanced detection of early blight (Alternaria solani) in potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants using hyperspectral remote sensing data captured with a handheld spectroradiometer. Hyperspectral reflectance spectra were captured 10 times over five weeks from plants grown to the vegetative and tuber bulking growth stages. The spectra were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), spectral change (ratio) analysis, partial least squares (PLS), cluster analysis, and vegetative indices. PCA successfully distinguished more heavily diseased plants from healthy and minimally diseased plants using two principal components. Spectral change (ratio) analysis provided wavelengths (490-510, 640, 665-670, 690, 740-750, and 935 nm) most sensitive to early blight infection followed by ANOVA results indicating a highly significant difference (p < 0.0001) between disease rating group means. In the majority of the experiments, comparisons of diseased plants with healthy plants using Fisher's LSD revealed more heavily diseased plants were significantly different from healthy plants. PLS analysis demonstrated the feasibility of detecting early blight infected plants, finding four optimal factors for raw spectra with the predictor variation explained ranging from 93.4% to 94.6% and the response variation explained ranging from 42.7% to 64.7%. Cluster analysis successfully distinguished healthy plants from all diseased plants except for the most mildly diseased plants, showing clustering analysis was an effective method for detection of early blight. Analysis of the reflectance spectra using the simple ratio (SR) and the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) was effective at differentiating all diseased plants from healthy plants, except for the

Captive American horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus housed at the National Aquarium presented with a variety of shell and gill lesions over a 3 yr period. Carapace lesions were located on both the dorsal and ventral prosoma and opisthosoma and included multifocal circular areas of tan discoloration, ulcerations, and/or pitting lesions, extending from superficial to full thickness. Gill lesions involved both the book gill cover (operculum) and individual book gill leaflets and included multifocal circular areas of tan discoloration, tan to off-white opaque proliferative lesions, and/or areas of black discoloration. Histopathology revealed fungal hyphae, with variable morphology throughout the thickened and irregular cuticle of the carapace and occasionally penetrating into subcuticular tissues, with associated amebocytic inflammation. Book gill leaflets were infiltrated by fungal hyphae and contained necrotic debris and amebocytes. Thirty-eight of 39 animals (97%) evaluated via histopathological examination had intralesional fungal hyphae. Fungal cultures of carapace and gill lesions were attempted in 26 tissue samples from 15 individuals and were positive in 13 samples (50%), with 10 cultures (77%) yielding identification to genus. Fusarium sp. was identified in 8 of the 10 cultures (80%) via culture morphology. The Fusarium solani species complex was confirmed in 6 of these 8 (75%) via polymerase chain reaction amplification of 2 different ribosomal-specific sequences of isolated fungal DNA. Ante-mortem systemic and topical treatments were performed on some affected individuals, but no appreciable change in lesions was observed. Mycotic dermatitis and branchitis are serious health issues for captive American horseshoe crabs. PMID:24991848

Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean is a complex of root rot disease caused by the semi-biotrophic fungus Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines (Fsg) and a leaf scorch disease caused by toxins produced by the pathogen in the roots. Development of partial rate-reducing resistance in roots to SDS was studied. The recombinant inbred line 23 (RIL23) that carried resistance conferred by six quantitative trait loci (QTL) derived from cultivars 'Essex' x 'Forrest' was compared to the susceptible cultivar Essex. Roots of RIL23 and its susceptible parent Essex were inoculated with Fsg. Transcript abundance (TA) of 191 ESTs was studied at five time points after inoculation. For most of the genes, there was an initial decrease in TA in the inoculated roots of both genotypes. By days 7 and 10 the inoculated roots of Essex failed to increase expression of the transcripts of defense-related genes. In RIL23 inoculated roots, the TA of 81 genes was increased by at least two-fold at day 3 (P=0.004), 88 genes at day 7 (P=0.0023) and 129 genes at day 10 (P=0.0026). A set of 35 genes maintained at least a two-fold higher abundance at all three time points. The increase in TA in RIL23 was in contrast to that observed in Essex where most of the ESTs showed either no change or a decreased TA. The ESTs with an increased TA had homology to the genes involved in resistance (analogs), signal transduction, plant defense, cell wall synthesis and transport of metabolites. Pathways that responded included the protein phosphorylation cascade, the phospholipase cascade and the phenolic natural products pathways, including isoflavone and cell wall synthesis. PMID:15815926

The development of patches of stunted onion plants caused by Rhizoctonia spp. is an emerging problem in onion bulb crops planted in the semi-arid Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington following winter cereal cover crops. Cereals such as winter wheat are used as cover crops to protect onion seedlin...

The destructive resolution of (6aR,S)-glaucine (Ic) was accomplished by oxidation of the (6aS)-(+)-enantiomer (Ia), using Fusarium solani ATCC 12823 to yield the unnatural alkaloid (6aR)-(−)-glaucine (Ib). Eighteen cultures were examined for their ability to metabolize the (6aR)-(−)-enantiomer (Ib), and Aspergillus flavipes ATCC 1030 was found to catalyze the stereoselective oxidation of this substrate to didehydroglaucine. Thus, it has been demonstrated that “R” and “S” organisms exist with regard to the oxidation of aporphines to didehydroaporphines. PMID:16345776

Fusarium solani f.sp. cucurbitae race 1 is a pathogen on cucurbit plants. In this study genetic diversity among 26 isolates of Fusarium solani f.sp. cucurbitae race 1 was studied using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) of ITS (Interal Transcribed Spacer) regions and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPD) markers. Outcome of digestion with six restriction enzymes including EcoR I, Rsa I, Bme 181, Msp I, Hae III and Hind III, together with the patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphism of ITS regions divided the isolates into two groups. Deoxy Ribonuckin Acid DNA pattern was obtained for the isolates using 12 random primers and genetic distance between them was calculated and relationships (by cluster analysis) determined. Among the primers used, seven primers showed polymorphism. Genetic distance between isolate pairs ranged from 0.03 to 0.48. Genetic diversity was high (e.g., the isolates were distributed into 10 genetic groups at a similarity percentage of 75). The lowest distance was observed between isolates 50 and 73 and the highest distance observed between isolates 50 and 73 with isolate 102. Restriction fragment length polymorphism results show diversity in ITS regions, without any correlation to geographic origin and RAPD. However, this genomic regions usually have high constancy in species, but in this study diversity was shown in ITS regions even for race 1. The data suggest that taxonomical situation of Foc race 1 probably needs revision. PMID:19803117

The present study was attempted to enhance the production of naphthoquinones and phenolics by Fusarium solani PSC-R of Palk Bay origin, which exhibited potent antibacterial, antioxidant and dyeing activity. Maximum productivity of naphthoquinones and phenolics was achieved in potato infusion medium supplemented with 2% sucrose. Addition of nitrogen sources to the medium adversely affected the production of both naphthoquinones and phenolics. An initial pH of 5 and incubation at 31°C for six days at 140rpm was found to increase the yield (123.65mg/g of DW), concentration (867.33mg/l) and total naphthoquinones (602.8μM/g DW) by 7.58, 10.44 and 3.68-fold respectively. Similarly, the antioxidant and antibacterial activity associated with the phenolics of PSC-R increased by 1.5-fold in the optimized medium. The obtained results document the effective means of enhanced production of naphthoquinones and phenolics in the suspension culture of F. solani PSC-R at bioreactor level. PMID:27156595

Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is caused by Fusarium solani f.sp. glycines (Fsg). Six quantitative trait loci (QTLs), each conferring partial resistance to SDS, have been discovered in an Essex x Forrest recombinant inbred line (RIL) population, but their mode of action is not clear. This study aimed to identify genes (ESTs) whose mRNA transcripts were altered in abundance in soybean roots following inoculation of Fsg. Roots of the soybean variety Forrest (four resistance alleles) were inoculated with Fsg, and 14 days later RNA sequences that were differentially expressed relative to uninoculated roots were enriched using suppression subtraction and differential display. The abundance of these RNAs was quantified in inoculated and non-inoculated roots by macroarray hybridizations. A unigene set of 135 ESTs was identified and used in a further macroarray analysis. The abundance of 28 cDNA fragments was increased more than two-fold in inoculated compared to uninoculated roots of RIL 23 (six resistance alleles). In Forrest and Essex (two resistance alleles), the level of only one mRNA was increased two-fold in inoculated roots compared to the uninoculated roots. In Essex most of the mRNAs analyzed decreased in abundance (61/135 showed a two-fold decrease), while in Forrest most mRNA abundances did not change. Among the 28 cDNAs that revealed a two-fold or higher increase in mRNA abundance in RIL 23, 14% code for proteins known to be involved in plant defense, 21% in metabolism, 14% in cell structure and 4% in transport. Unannotated ESTs accounted for 43% of the genes, and 4% of the sequences were previously unknown. The plant defense-related genes that showed a differential response to Fsg inoculation suggested a role for the phenylproponoid pathway in soybean defense against Fsg. In Essex, genes involved in plant defense, cell wall synthesis, ethylene synthesis and metabolism were expressed at lower levels in inoculated roots. The difference in response between

Sugar beet seedlings (24 entries of a larger genetic population constructed to dissect Rhizoctonia disease reaction in sugar beet) were screened for their response to a highly virulent isolate of Rhizoctoniasolani AG 2-2. Seedlings were grown to the two-leaf stage in the greenhouse, thinned to 15 p...

Potato is major crop ensuring food security in Europe, and blackleg disease is increasingly causing losses in yield and during storage. Recently, one blackleg pathogen, Dickeya solani has been shown to be spreading in Northern Europe that causes aggressive disease development. Currently, identification of tolerant commercial potato varieties has been unsuccessful; this is confounded by the complicated etiology of the disease and a strong environmental influence on disease development. There is currently a lack of efficient testing systems. Here, we describe a system for quantification of blackleg symptoms on shoots of sterile in vitro potato plants, which saves time and space compared to greenhouse and existing field assays. We found no evidence for differences in infection between the described in vitro-based screening method and existing greenhouse assays. This system facilitates efficient screening of blackleg disease response of potato plants independent of other microorganisms and variable environmental conditions. We therefore used the in vitro screening method to increase understanding of plant mechanisms involved in blackleg disease development by analysing disease response of hormone- related (salicylic and jasmonic acid) transgenic potato plants. We show that both jasmonic (JA) and salicylic (SA) acid pathways regulate tolerance to blackleg disease in potato, a result unlike previous findings in Arabidopsis defence response to necrotrophic bacteria. We confirm this by showing induction of a SA marker, pathogenesis-related protein 1 (StPR1), and a JA marker, lipoxygenase (StLOX), in Dickeya solani infected in vitro potato plants. We also observed that tubers of transgenic potato plants were more susceptible to soft rot compared to wild type, suggesting a role for SA and JA pathways in general tolerance to Dickeya. PMID:25903921

Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani Kühn (anastomosis group AG1-IA), is a serious disease worldwide. R. solani has a broad host range and no complete genetic resistance is available among cultivated rices. As first step to identify sheath blight resistance gene(s), molecular character...

Sheath blight caused by Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the most damaging diseases of rice worldwide. To understand the molecular mechanism of resistance, we identified 450 differentially expressed genes in a resistant rice cultivar Jasmine 85 after R. solani infection with a combination of DNA microar...

The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is a major pathogen of sharp eyespot that is a devastating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Little is known about roles of MYB genes in wheat defense response to R. cerealis. In this study, TaRIM1, a R. cerealis-induced wheat MYB gene, was identified by transcriptome analysis, then cloned from resistant wheat CI12633, and its function and preliminary mechanism were studied. Sequence analysis showed that TaRIM1 encodes a R2R3-MYB transcription factor with transcription-activation activity. The molecular-biological assays revealed that the TaRIM1 protein localizes to nuclear and can bind to five MYB-binding site cis-elements. Functional dissection results showed that following R. cerealis inoculation, TaRIM1 silencing impaired the resistance of wheat CI12633, whereas TaRIM1 overexpression significantly increased resistance of transgenic wheat compared with susceptible recipient. TaRIM1 positively regulated the expression of five defense genes (Defensin, PR10, PR17c, nsLTP1, and chitinase1) possibly through binding to MYB-binding sites in their promoters. These results suggest that the R2R3-MYB transcription factor TaRIM1 positively regulates resistance response to R. cerealis infection through modulating the expression of a range of defense genes, and that TaRIM1 is a candidate gene to improve sharp eyespot resistance in wheat. PMID:27364458

The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is a major pathogen of sharp eyespot that is a devastating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Little is known about roles of MYB genes in wheat defense response to R. cerealis. In this study, TaRIM1, a R. cerealis-induced wheat MYB gene, was identified by transcriptome analysis, then cloned from resistant wheat CI12633, and its function and preliminary mechanism were studied. Sequence analysis showed that TaRIM1 encodes a R2R3-MYB transcription factor with transcription-activation activity. The molecular-biological assays revealed that the TaRIM1 protein localizes to nuclear and can bind to five MYB-binding site cis-elements. Functional dissection results showed that following R. cerealis inoculation, TaRIM1 silencing impaired the resistance of wheat CI12633, whereas TaRIM1 overexpression significantly increased resistance of transgenic wheat compared with susceptible recipient. TaRIM1 positively regulated the expression of five defense genes (Defensin, PR10, PR17c, nsLTP1, and chitinase1) possibly through binding to MYB-binding sites in their promoters. These results suggest that the R2R3-MYB transcription factor TaRIM1 positively regulates resistance response to R. cerealis infection through modulating the expression of a range of defense genes, and that TaRIM1 is a candidate gene to improve sharp eyespot resistance in wheat. PMID:27364458

Bacillus subtilis XF-1 has been used as a biocontrol agent of clubroot disease of crucifers infected by Plasmodiophora brassicae, an obligate pathogen. In order to maximize the growth inhibition of the pathogen, random mutagenesis using N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine was applied to strain XF-1. The efficacy of 226 selected mutants was assessed against the growth of an indicator fungal pathogen: Fusarium solani using agar plate assay and the disruptive effects on the resting spores of P. brassicae. Four mutants exhibited inhibition activity significantly higher than the wild type. The cell extracts of these mutants and the XF-1 were subjected to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectra analysis, and three families of cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) fengycin, surfactin and iturin were identified from the parental strain and the screened mutants. However, the relative contents and compound diversity changed after mutagenesis, and there was slight variation in the surfactin and fengycin. Notably, only 5 iturin components were discovered from the wild strain XF-1, but 13 were obtained from the mutant strains, and the relative CLPs contents of all mutant strains increased substantially. The results suggested that CLPs might be one of main biocontrol mechanisms of the clubroot disease by XF-1. The 4 mutants are far more effective than the parental strain, and they would be promising biocontrol candidates not only against P. brassicae but probably other plant diseases caused by fungi. PMID:25320450

Fusarium species are environmental saprophytic fungi. Among the many Fusarium species, members of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are the most prevalent and virulent in causing human and animal infections. In this study, we describe the first case of fatal FSSC infection in a black spotted stingray and three concomitant infections in scalloped hammerhead sharks. In the stingray, cutaneous lesions were characterised by ulcers and haemorrhage of the ventral pectoral fin, or 'ray', especially around the head; while cutaneous lesions in the sharks were characterised by ulcers, haemorrhage, as well as white and purulent exudates at the cephalic canals of the cephalofoil and lateral line. Histological sections of the cutaneous lesions revealed slender (1-4 μm in diameter), branching, septate fungal hyphae. Internal transcribed spacer region and 28S nrDNA sequencing of the fungal isolates from the fish showed two isolates were F. keratoplasticum (FSSC 2) and the other two were FSSC 12. Environmental investigation revealed the FSSC strains isolated from water and biofilms in tanks that housed the elasmobranchs were also F. keratoplasticum and FSSC 12. Fusarium is associated with major infections in elasmobranchs and FSSC 12 is an emerging cause of infections in marine animals. DNA sequencing is so far the most reliable method for accurate identification of Fusarium species. PMID:26095191

Sharp eyespot disease (primarily caused by the pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis) and freezing stress are important yield limitations for the production of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Here, we report new insights into the function and underlying mechanisms of an ethylene response factor (ERF) in wheat, Pathogen-Induced ERF1 (TaPIE1), in host responses to R. cerealis and freezing stresses. TaPIE1-overexpressing transgenic wheat exhibited significantly enhanced resistance to both R. cerealis and freezing stresses, whereas TaPIE1-underexpressing wheat plants were more susceptible to both stresses relative to control plants. Following both stress treatments, electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide content were significantly reduced, and both proline and soluble sugar contents were elevated in TaPIE1-overexpressing wheat, whereas these physiological traits in TaPIE1-underexpressing wheat exhibited the opposite trend. Microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses of TaPIE1-overexpressing and -underexpressing wheat plants indicated that TaPIE1 activated a subset of defense- and stress-related genes. Assays of DNA binding by electrophoretic mobility shift and transient expression in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) showed that the GCC boxes in the promoters of TaPIE1-activated genes were essential for transactivation by TaPIE1. The transactivation activity of TaPIE1 and the expression of TaPIE1-activated defense- and stress-related genes were significantly elevated following R. cerealis, freezing, and exogenous ethylene treatments. TaPIE1-mediated responses to R. cerealis and freezing were positively modulated by ethylene biosynthesis. These data suggest that TaPIE1 positively regulates the defense responses to R. cerealis and freezing stresses by activating defense- and stress-related genes downstream of the ethylene signaling pathway and by modulating related physiological traits in wheat. PMID:24424323

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the roles of AGC kinases in mammalian systems. However, very little is known about the roles of AGC kinases in wheat (Triticum aestivum). The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is the major pathogen of the destructive disease sharp eyespot of wheat. In this study, the wheat AGC kinase gene TaAGC1, responding to R. cerealis infection, was isolated, and its properties and role in wheat defence were characterized. R. cerealis-resistant wheat lines expressed TaAGC1 at higher levels than susceptible wheat lines. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the TaAGC1 protein is a serine/threonine kinase belonging to the NDR (nuclear Dbf2-related) subgroup of AGC kinases. Kinase activity assays proved that TaAGC1 is a functional kinase and the Asp-239 residue located in the conserved serine/threonine kinase domain of TaAGC1 is required for the kinase activity. Subcellular localization assays indicated that TaAGC1 localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Virus-induced TaAGC1 silencing revealed that the down-regulation of TaAGC1 transcripts significantly impaired wheat resistance to R. cerealis. The molecular characterization and responses of TaAGC1 overexpressing transgenic wheat plants indicated that TaAGC1 overexpression significantly enhanced resistance to sharp eyespot and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wheat plants challenged with R. cerealis. Furthermore, ROS-scavenging and certain defence-associated genes were up-regulated in resistant plants overexpressing TaAGC1 but down-regulated in susceptible knock-down plants. These results suggested that the kinase TaAGC1 positively contributes to wheat immunity to R. cerealis through regulating expression of ROS-related and defence-associated genes. PMID:26220083

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the roles of AGC kinases in mammalian systems. However, very little is known about the roles of AGC kinases in wheat (Triticum aestivum). The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is the major pathogen of the destructive disease sharp eyespot of wheat. In this study, the wheat AGC kinase gene TaAGC1, responding to R. cerealis infection, was isolated, and its properties and role in wheat defence were characterized. R. cerealis-resistant wheat lines expressed TaAGC1 at higher levels than susceptible wheat lines. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the TaAGC1 protein is a serine/threonine kinase belonging to the NDR (nuclear Dbf2-related) subgroup of AGC kinases. Kinase activity assays proved that TaAGC1 is a functional kinase and the Asp-239 residue located in the conserved serine/threonine kinase domain of TaAGC1 is required for the kinase activity. Subcellular localization assays indicated that TaAGC1 localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Virus-induced TaAGC1 silencing revealed that the down-regulation of TaAGC1 transcripts significantly impaired wheat resistance to R. cerealis. The molecular characterization and responses of TaAGC1 overexpressing transgenic wheat plants indicated that TaAGC1 overexpression significantly enhanced resistance to sharp eyespot and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wheat plants challenged with R. cerealis. Furthermore, ROS-scavenging and certain defence-associated genes were up-regulated in resistant plants overexpressing TaAGC1 but down-regulated in susceptible knock-down plants. These results suggested that the kinase TaAGC1 positively contributes to wheat immunity to R. cerealis through regulating expression of ROS-related and defence-associated genes. PMID:26220083

In this study plant pathogenic fungi Alternaria solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctoniasolani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were chosen to study the effect of ethanolic, hexane and methanolic extracts of neem seeds and leaves. Antifungal effects of neem leave and seed extracts obtained by ethanol, hexane and ptrolium ether were examined separately in vitro against Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctoniasolani, Alternaria solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Results indicated that seeds and leaves extracts could cause growth inhibition of tested fungi, although the rate of inhibition of tested fungi varied with different extracts and concentrations. But all these extracts and concentrations of extract inhibited the growth of pathogenic fungi at a significant level. Azadirachtin, nimonol and expoxyazdirodione were detected from neem extract by using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). We can conclude that neem leave and seed extracts were effective as antifungal against all tested fungi but F. oxysporum and R. solani were the most sensitive fungi. PMID:19947185

We evaluated the performance of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), the MALDI Bruker Biotyper system (microflex LT; Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Bremen, Germany), on the identification of 50 isolates of clinically encountered molds, including Penicillium marneffei (n = 28), Paecilomyces species (n = 12), Fusarium solani (n = 6), Rhizopus species (n = 3), and Pseudallescheria boydii (n = 1). The isolates were identified to species levels by sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions using primers ITS1 and ITS4. None of the 28 genetically well characterized isolates of P. marneffei were identified as P. marneffei by MALDI-TOF MS, because P. marneffei was not present in either Bruker general library (DB 5627) or Bruker filamentous fungi library V1.0. However, the rate of accurate identification as P. marneffei (score value ≥ 2.000) was 85.7% based on newly created database from one P. marneffei strain (NTUH-3370) by MALDI Biotyper system. Sequencing analysis of these 22 non-P. marneffei isolates of molds revealed seven Paecilomyces variotii, six F. solani, four Paecilomyces lilacinus, and one each of Paecilomyces sinensis, Rhizopus arrhizus, R. oryzae, R. microspores, and P. boydii. Although all the seven P. variotii isolates, four of the six F. solani, two of the four P. lilacinus, and two of the three isolates of Rhizopus species, and the P. boydii isolate had concordant identification results between MALDI-TOF MS and sequencing analysis, the score values of these isolates were all of <1.700. This study indicated that the MALDI Bruker Biotyper is ineffective for identifying P. marneffei and other unusual molds because of the current database limitations. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously update the MALDI-TOF MS databases. PMID:26217315

CpOsm is an antifungal osmotin/thaumatin-like protein purified from the latex of Calotropis procera. The protein is relatively thermostable and retains its antifungal activity over a wide pH range; therefore, it may be useful in the development of new antifungal drugs or transgenic crops with enhanced resistance to phytopathogenic fungi. To gain further insight into the mechanism of action of CpOsm, its three-dimensional structure was determined, and the effects of the protein on Fusarium solani spores were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The atomic structure of CpOsm was solved at a resolution of 1.61Å, and it contained 205 amino acid residues and 192 water molecules, with a final R-factor of 18.12% and an Rfree of 21.59%. The CpOsm structure belongs to the thaumatin superfamily fold and is characterized by three domains stabilized by eight disulfide bonds and a prominent charged cleft, which runs the length of the front side of the molecule. Similarly to other antifungal thaumatin-like proteins, the cleft of CpOsm is predominantly acidic. AFM images of F. solani spores treated with CpOsm resulted in striking morphological changes being induced by the protein. Spores treated with CpOsm were wrinkled, and the volume of these cells was reduced by approximately 80%. Treated cells were covered by a shell of CpOsm molecules, and the leakage of cytoplasmic content from these cells was also observed. Based on the structural features of CpOsm and the effects that the protein produces on F. solani spores, a possible mechanism of action is suggested and discussed. PMID:26456062

An endophytic fungal isolate (Fs-K), identified as a Fusarium solani strain, was obtained from root tissues of tomato plants grown on a compost which suppressed soil and foliar pathogens. Strain Fs-K was able to colonize root tissues and subsequently protect plants against the root pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL), and elicit induced systemic resistance against the tomato foliar pathogen Septoria lycopersici. Interestingly, attenuated expression of certain pathogenesis-related genes, i.e. PR5 and PR7, was detected in tomato roots inoculated with strain Fs-K compared with non-inoculated plants. The expression pattern of PR genes was either not affected or aberrant in leaves. A genetic approach, using mutant tomato plant lines, was used to determine the role of ethylene and jasmonic acid in the plant's response to infection by the soil-borne pathogen F. oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL), in the presence or absence of isolate Fs-K. Mutant tomato lines Never ripe (Nr) and epinastic (epi1), both impaired in ethylene-mediated plant responses, inoculated with FORL are not protected by isolate Fs-K, indicating that the ethylene signalling pathway is required for the mode of action used by the endophyte to confer resistance. On the contrary, def1 mutants, affected in jasmonate biosynthesis, show reduced susceptibility to FORL, in the presence Fs-K, which suggests that jasmonic acid is not essential for the mediation of biocontrol activity of isolate Fs-K. PMID:18048373

Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines (FSG; syn. F. virguliforme Akoi, O'Donnell, Homma & Lattanzi) is a soil-borne fungus that infects soybean roots and causes sudden death syndrome (SDS), a widespread and destructive soybean disease. The goal of this study was to develop and use a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) assay to compare the accumulation of genomic DNA among 30 FSG isolates in inoculated soybean roots. Isolates differed significantly (P < or = 0.05) in their DNA accumulation on a susceptible soybean cultivar when detected and quantified using a FSG-specific probe/primers set derived from the sequences of the nuclear-encoded, mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. QPCR results that were normalized as the fold change over the sample collection times after inoculation were significantly (P < or = 0.001) correlated with the log(10) transformed colony-forming unit (CFU) values of FSG obtained from plating of inoculated ground roots on FSG semi-selective agar medium. Several isolates were identified that accumulated more FSG DNA and had higher CFU values than the reference isolate FSG1 (Mont-1). Compared to other isolates, FSG5 was the most aggressive root colonizer based on DNA accumulation and CFU values in infested roots. The described QPCR assay should provide more specificity, greater sensitivity, and less variability than alternatives to the culturing-dependent and time-consuming plating assays. Evaluation of isolate relative DNA differences on host plants using the QPCR approach provides useful information for evaluating isolates based on the extent and/or degree of colonization on soybean roots and for selecting isolates for breeding SDS-resistant soybean lines. PMID:18461301

Fusariosis have been increasing in Colombia in recent years, but its epidemiology is poorly known. We have morphologically and molecularly characterized 89 isolates of Fusarium obtained between 2010 and 2012 in the cities of Bogotá and Medellín. Using a multi-locus sequence analysis of rDNA internal transcribed spacer, a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (Tef-1α) and of the RNA-dependent polymerase subunit II (Rpb2) genes, we identified the phylogenetic species and circulating haplotypes. Since most of the isolates studied were from onychomycoses (nearly 90 %), we carried out an epidemiological study to determine the risk factors associated with such infections. Five phylogenetic species of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC), i.e., F. falciforme, F. keratoplasticum, F. lichenicola, F. petroliphilum, and FSSC 6 as well as two of the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC), i.e., FOSC 3 and FOSC 4, were identified. The most prevalent species were FOSC 3 (38.2 %) followed by F. keratoplasticum (33.7 %). In addition, our isolates were distributed into 23 haplotypes (14 into FOSC and nine into FSSC). Two of the FSSC phylogenetic species and two haplotypes of FSSC were not described before. Our results demonstrate that recipients of pedicure treatments have a lower probability of acquiring onychomycosis than those not receiving such treatments. The antifungal susceptibility of all the isolates to five clinically available agents showed that amphotericin B was the most active drug, while the azoles exhibited lower in vitro activity. PMID:26943726

Aspergillus flavus is the major producer of carcinogenic aflatoxins worldwide in crops. Populations of A. flavus are characterized by high genetic variation and the source of this variation is likely sexual reproduction. The fungus is heterothallic and laboratory crosses produce ascospore-bearing ...

Eight bacterial isolates from the larval guts of Diamondback moths (Plutella xylostella) were tested for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits and effects on early plant growth. All of the strains tested positive for nitrogen fixation and indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) and salicylic acid production but negative for hydrogen cyanide and pectinase production. In addition, five of the isolates exhibited significant levels of tricalcium phosphate and zinc oxide solubilization; six isolates were able to oxidize sulfur in growth media; and four isolates tested positive for chitinase and beta-1,3-glucanase activities. Based on their IAA production, six strains including four that were 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase positive and two that were ACC deaminase negative were tested for PGP activity on the early growth of canola and tomato seeds under gnotobiotic conditions. Acinetobacter sp. PSGB04 significantly increased root length (41%), seedling vigor, and dry biomass (30%) of the canola test plants, whereas Pseudomonas sp. PRGB06 inhibited the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea, Colletotrichum coccodes, C. gleospoiroides, Rhizoctoniasolani, and Sclerotia sclerotiorum under in vitro conditions. A significant increase, greater than that of the control, was also noted for growth parameters of the tomato test plants when the seeds were treated with PRGB06. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that bacteria associated with insect larval guts possess PGP traits and positively influence plant growth. Therefore, insect gut bacteria as effective PGP agents represent an unexplored niche and may broaden the spectrum of beneficial bacteria available for crop production. PMID:18172718

A novel endophyte designated Collophora aceris, was obtained from stem tissues of Douglas Maple (Acer glabrum var. douglasii) in a Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest. Colonies were slow growing, white, creamy, moist, and translucent to opaque on potato dextrose agar and other media with few aerial hyphae. It also produced solid, dark sclerotia (200-400 μm) on oatmeal agar and no evidence of pseudopycnidia as per other Collophora spp. Conidia were rod-like in the size ranging from 2.2-8.4 × 0.8-1.8 μm and produced holoblastically on conidiogenous cells by budding with no collarette at the budding site. Phylogenetic analyses, based on 18S rDNA sequence data, showed that C. aceris possessed 99 % similarity to other Collophora spp. However, ITS-5.8S rDNA sequence data indicated that the organism was potentially related to Allantophomopsis spp. Finally, combined morphological, physiological, and molecular genetics data indicated that this organism is most like Collophora spp. but it is distinctly unique when compared to all other fungi in this group. It is to be noted that this is the first report of any member of this genus existing as an endophyte. This fungus makes a wide spectrum antimycotic agent (Collophorin) with biological activity against such pathogenic fungi as Pythium ultimum, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora palmivora, and Rhizoctoniasolani. Collophorin was purified to homogeneity and shown to have a unique mass of 120.0639, an empirical formula of C8H8O1, and UV absorption bands at 260 and 378 nm. This work also indicates that C. aceris possesses the biological potential to provide protection of its host against an array of common plant pathogens. PMID:23996143

Endophytic bacteria have been found to colonize internal tissues in many different plants, where they can have several beneficial effects, including defense against pathogens. In this study, we aimed to identify endophytic bacteria associated with roots of the tropical piperaceae Piper tuberculatum, which is known for its resistance to infection by Fusarium solani f. sp piperis, the causal agent of black pepper (Piper nigrum) root rot disease in the Amazon region. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, we isolated endophytes belonging to 13 genera: Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium, Agrobacterium, Ralstonia, Serratia, Cupriavidus, Mitsuaria, Pantoea, and Staphylococcus. The results showed that 56.52% of isolates were associated with the phylum Proteobacteria, which comprised α, β, and γ classes. Other bacteria were related to the phylum Firmicutes, including Bacillus, which was the most abundant genus among all isolates. Antagonistic assays revealed that Pt12 and Pt13 isolates, identified as Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas sp, respectively, were able to inhibit F. solani f. sp piperis growth in vitro. We describe, for the first time, the molecular identification of 23 endophytic bacteria from P. tuberculatum, among which two Pseudomonas species have the potential to control the pathogen responsible for root rot disease in black pepper in the Amazon region. PMID:26214435

ABSTRACT (14)C-labeled chlamydospores of Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli were exposed to soil at 5, 15, 25, or 30 degrees C at pH 5 or 8 and water potential of -1 kPa or to soil at 0, -1, or -10 kPa at 25 degrees C at pH 6.9. Total carbon loss was greatest at 25 or 30 degrees C at pH 8 and -1 kPa. (14)CO(2) from respiration of chlamydospores and from soil microbes utilizing chlamydospore exudates accounted for the largest share of total carbon loss under all conditions. (14)(CO)(2) from soil microbial metabolism of (14)CO(2) exudates of chlamydospores was greatest in soil at 15, 25, and 30 degrees C, pH 8, and at either -1 or -10 kPa. Chlamydospore germinability in the absence of a C source (nutrient independence), viability in potato-dextrose broth, and virulence to kidney bean declined rapidly after exposure to soil at high temperatures (25 and 30 degrees C), pH 8, and the higher matric potentials (0 to-1 kPa). By contrast, germinability remained high (>50%), as did virulence, in soil at 5 degrees C and -10 kPa even after 70 days of incubation. Carbon loss was inversely correlated with germinability, viability, and virulence after exposure to soil at different pH levels, temperatures, and matric potentials. PMID:18944984

The Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) includes important root pathogens of soybean in the United States, but the evolutionary lineages associated with soybean root rot are unknown. A multilocus phylogeny based on 93 isolates from soybean and pea roots from North Dakota and Minnesota revealed that root rot was associated with three known phylogenetic species, FSSC 3 + 4 (=Fusarium falciforme) (3 % of isolates), FSSC 5 (60 %), FSSC 11 (34 %), and one unknown species, FSSC X (2 %). Of these species FSSC 5 and FSSC 3 + 4 are clinically important while FSSC 11 is a plant pathogen. Isolates from FSSC 11 were pathogenic on soybean, dry bean, pea and lentil, and did not grow at 37 °C. However, isolates from FSSC 5 were weakly to non-pathogenic, but grew at 37 °C. Isolates from both FSSC 5 and FSSC 11 were highly resistant to fludioxonil in vitro. This is the first study revealing the pathogenic robustness of FSSC 11 in causing root rot among Fabaceae crops and also the association of clinically important members of the FSSC with roots of a widely grown field crop in the United States. PMID:26671414

Rice sheath blight (RSB) caused by the soil borne pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani, is one of the most destructive diseases of rice, causing severe losses in rice yield and quality annually. The major gene (s) governing the resistance to RSB have not been found in cultivated rice worldwide. However, ri...

A number of pathogens can cause early season stand loss in sugar beet. In an ongoing survey, the most commonly identified damping-off pathogens were Rhizoctoniasolani, Aphanomyces cochlioides, and Fusarium species. Pythium and Phoma also were isolated every year, but never as the sole or most commo...

There are no resistant varieties or chemical controls for the Major soilborne pathogens of wheat in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. These diseases include Rhizoctonia root rot and bare patch (caused by R. solani and R. oryzae), Fusarium crown rot (caused by F. pseudograminearum and F. culmorum), P...

In an effort to develop the molecular strategies to control rice (Oryzae sativa) diseases, molecular interactions of rice with rice blast [Magnaporthe oryzae, formerly (Magnaporthe grisea] and sheath blight (Rhizoctoniasolani) fungi were analyzed. The interaction of rice with M. oryzae follows a b...

The effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene on in vitro growth of three soybean pathogens were tested to determine if these stilbenic compounds could potentially be targets to increase innate resistance in transgenic soybean plants. Growth of Macrophomina phaseolina, Rhizoctoniasolani, and Sclerot...

Rice sheath blight disease caused by the anastomosis group AG1-IA of the fungal pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani is one of the most serious rice diseases in the southern US and the world. The use of fungicides is a popular but costly method to control this disease worldwide. Genetic analysis of host re...

Rice sheath blight disease (Rhizoctoniasolani AG1-1AKühn) is one of the most destructive rice diseases worldwide. Utilization of host resistance is the most economical and environmentally sound strategy in managing sheath blight (ShB). Ten ShB-QTLs were previously mapped in a LJRIL population using...

The antibiotic jinggangmycin (JGM) is mainly used in controlling the rice sheath blight, Rhizoctoniasolani, in China. JGM also enhances reproduction of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål). To date, however, molecular mechanisms of the enhancement are unclear. Our related report d...

RiceCAP is a USDA CSREES funded project that has as one of its main objectives developing genetic markers associated with sheath blight resistance. Sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, is an important disease of rice in the southern US. Tolerance to the disease is quantitatively inherited an...

Fungal and bacterial root rots in sugar beet caused by Rhizoctoniasolani (Rs) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum (Lm) can lead to root yield losses greater than 50%. To reduce the impact of these root rots on sucrose loss in the field, storage, and factories, studies were conducted t...

Fungal and bacterial root rots in sugar beet caused by Rhizoctoniasolani (Rs) and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum (Lm) can lead to root yield losses greater than 50%. To reduce the impact of these root rots on sucrose loss in the field, storage, and factories, studies were conducted t...

Rice sheath blight disease, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, is one of the most important fungal diseases worldwide. Wild relatives of rice may contain novel genes for biotic/abiotic stress resistance lost during domestication. We identified seven moderately resistant accessions from a collection of 67...

A number of pathogens can cause early season stand loss in sugar beet. Fungi such as Rhizoctoniasolani AG-2-2 and AG-4 and Fusarium oxysporum are able to cause post-emergence damping-off in sugar beet. Recent work has identified some sugar beet germplasms which show reduced damage from isolates of ...

Rice sheath blight (RSB) caused by the soil-borne pathogen Rhizoctoniasolani, is one of the most destructive diseases of rice, causing severe losses in yield and quality annually. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for RSB resistance were analyzed using field phenotypic data in literature re...

Rice growers heavily rely on fungicides for control of sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctoniasolani, the most important rice disease in Texas and other southern rice-producing states. Excessive use of fungicides can cause a negative impact on the environment and lead to the potential development of f...

Laboratory experiments were conducted to describe the influence of glyphosate and fluometuron on soil microbial activity and to determine the effect of glyphosate on fluometuron degradation in soil and by Rhizoctoniasolani. Soil and liquid medium were amended with formulated fluometuron alone or w...